Item 11 is the next item: the Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. I call on the Minister to move the motion—Lesley Griffiths.

Motion NDM7011 Rebecca Evans

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales; in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1. Approves that the draft The Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 05 March 2019.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. The Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019—the 2019 regulations—will ensure we have a functioning statute book in Wales and domestic legislation and that the field of the marketing of seed potatoes continues to operate effectively following the UK's exit from the EU. The instrument makes no policy changes other than those necessary to ensure such continued operation.

The 2019 regulations make amendments to the Seed Potatoes (Wales) Regulations 2016. The Seed Potatoes (Wales) Regulations 2016—the 2016 regulations—implement the main EU rules prescribing marketing standards for seed potatoes, ensuring minimum quality standards and traceability for marketed seed and propagating material. The 2019 regulations are drafted to ensure continuity of supply and marketing of EU seed potatoes in Wales for an interim period after withdrawal.

Should the UK leave the EU without a negotiated agreement, UK-produced seed potatoes will not be marketable in the EU. The UK is a net importer of seed potatoes from the EU and Switzerland. If the UK stopped accepting EU seed potatoes immediately after exit, it would jeopardise seed potato supply for some significant crops and it would be difficult for the industry to adapt quickly. To avoid financial loss, the 2019 regulations also permit a one-year period for existing stocks of pre-printed official EU certification labels to be used up. 

In the field of seed potatoes, further changes made by this instrument include inserting a definition for Crown dependencies and a provision allowing the Welsh Ministers to recognise Crown dependencies' legislation where appropriate as having equivalent effect to Wales's marketing legislation to allow Crown dependencies access to the UK internal market. 

Dawn Bowden to speak on behalf of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee. Dawn Bowden.

Diolch, Llywydd. I speak on the Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. We considered these regulations at our meeting on 18 March. We reported three technical points to the Assembly under Standing Order 21.2. Our first and third reporting points note errors in the Welsh text of regulation 2(12) and 2(17). The Welsh Government has accepted these errors and we welcome the fact that further regulations will be brought forward as soon as practicable to amend the Welsh text to address these issues. We've written to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd in relation to the wider point about timescales for future amending subordinate legislation.

Our second reporting point noted internal cross-referencing errors in regulation 2(15). The Welsh Government has accepted that the cross-referencing is incorrect and we welcome the Government’s commitment to work with the National Archives to update the referencing following publication of the regulations.

Does the Minister wish to respond?

Yes, diolch, Llywydd, just to say that we absolutely accepted those two points. The incorrect cross-referencing will be amended through a correction slip following publication of the statutory instrument, and a further SI will be brought forward as soon as practicable to address the points raised regarding the Welsh text. 

The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.