Item 12 is our next item: the Plant Health (Forestry) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. And I call on the Minister for environment to move the motion—Lesley Griffiths.

Motion NDM7012 Rebecca Evans

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

1. Approves that the draft The Plant Health (Forestry) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 05 March 2019.

Motion moved.

These regulations make amendments to the Forest Reproductive Material (Great Britain) Regulations 2002, the Plant Health (Forestry) Order 2005, and the Plant Health (Fees) (Forestry) (Wales) Regulations 2019. The above legislation is intended to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful plant pests and diseases, prescribing the fees relating to forestry activities, and implementing EU decisions on the equivalence of forest reproductive material, and setting out requirements such as those regarding registration respectively.

The regulations will ensure that plant health forestry legislation in Wales, which implements current EU protective measures against the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants or plant products, remains effective and continues to be operable after the UK leaves the EU in a 'no deal' scenario.

Additionally, these regulations amend provisions that are inappropriate or redundant as a result of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. They make changes to ensure the law functions correctly after exit day, and remove reporting obligations to the Commission that will no longer be appropriate.   

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

Diolch, Llywydd. Again, we considered these regulations at our meeting on 18 March, and we reported eight technical points to the Assembly under Standing Order 21.2(vi). These technical points relate in the main to the identification of potential drafting errors and the Welsh Government’s response highlights that they will, where necessary, be corrected through a wash-up statutory instrument.

Two of the technical points will be corrected through a correction slip, because they are clear and obvious errors. One concerns an incorrect reference to the enabling power under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, while the other relates to a missing word from a named set of regulations.

The Minister to respond—no, the Minister is not wanting to respond. 

So, the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No, there was no objection—just sound. So, the motion is agreed.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.