13. Statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government: Preparing our Public Services for a 'No Deal' Brexit — Civil Contingencies

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:36 pm on 22 January 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 6:36, 22 January 2019

I thank the Minister for her statement. The fact of the matter is that we are facing the greatest threat to our society since the second world war, and while I welcome the preparations laid out by the Minister, specifically the £1.3 million EU citizens' rights project fund, encouraging EU citizens to remain in the UK through offering various packages of support, there is one thing that I think has been largely overlooked, and that being the rise of far-right activity in recent months. Now, the yellow jackets are a prime example, harassing pro-remain MPs and supporters outside the Houses of Parliament, going largely unchallenged, and this, of course, comes after a spike in hate crime following the referendum. We know that in times of crisis far-right groups become bolder, and history shows that they will take advantage of Governments who are spread thin or who are in a state of chaos themselves. So, my question to the Minister on this point is: what will the Government do to stem any violent actions from far-right groups against any peaceful protest or any actions that they might take against any EU citizens or the wider multicultural communities that we have based here in this country?

Further, I think that it's clear that austerity has been overlooked in this debate. For 10 years, public services have suffered from cutbacks, and for 10 years, people have seen their quality of life deteriorate. These cuts, of course, are set to deepen even further with a 'no deal' Brexit, and these are serious issues to be considering now. How will the Welsh Government look to mitigate the effects of austerity in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit and beyond? Austerity has damaged the very fabric of our society, and a 'no deal' Brexit looks to do irreversible damage. 

Finally, people are stockpiling food in preparation for a 'no deal', but in the Minister's statement, I see very little mention of safeguarding supply lines with regard to food. At the very least, prices are likely to increase, putting people in a seriously precarious situation. So, what preparations have been made by the Welsh Government to safeguard food supplies and prices? And that's a question that's pertinent to whether we leave with a 'no deal' Brexit or not.