6. What discussions is the Welsh Government having regarding UK governance arrangements post-Brexit? OAQ54196

I have had numerous discussions in relation to United Kingdom governance arrangements post Brexit, most recently at the Joint Ministerial Committee (European Negotiations) meeting on 28 June.

I'm grateful to the Minister for that response. As you'll be aware, the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee did a piece of work last year, and the committee published a report called 'UK governance post-Brexit', and in that report it was recommended that the Llywydd, along with spokespeople and speakers from the other Parliaments and legislatures of the UK, should establish a speakers' conference with the aim of deciding on the best way of developing inter-parliamentary co-operation within the UK. The purpose of this conference would be to consider how to develop joint working between Governments within the UK post Brexit, in order to ensure that the correct frameworks are developed for the future. I understand that models of a speakers' conference are being considered at the moment, but can you as a Government tell us what discussions you've had on this particular idea and also, following on from an earlier question from the Member for Blaenau Gwent, do you think that this is an effective way of ensuring that the correct inter-parliamentary mechanisms are put in place for the future?

That’s a very important question. We have a long way to go in dealing with the changes that will come following Brexit to ensure that the constitutional settlement and the relationship between the nations of the United Kingdom work in a better way than they do at present. Our focus as a Government, on the whole, has been mainly on how the mechanics work between the Governments, because that’s our constitutional remit, but an integral part of that is how the Governments are accountable to the legislatures. And part of that, certainly, is—and we've seen the benefit of this in discussions—how the committees specifically within the legislatures have been calling for greater opportunities to scrutinise and develop new systems and ways in which we can do that in the context of Brexit. I am aware of the work that is going on as regards the inter-relationships between the legislatures. It’s a matter for the Assembly and the Llywydd constitutionally, but that kind of creativity and imagination on how we re-form the relationship between the nations of the United Kingdom is completely core to a stable constitutional system post Brexit.