Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his Brexit Minister responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 10 July 2019.
Thank you, Minister. The Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language told the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee recently that your Government is developing red lines in relation to devolved areas that it does not wish to be included in future trade agreements. Minister, can you tell us what those red lines are? She also told us that the Welsh Government would be willing to take the UK Government to court if it tried to sell off the Welsh NHS as part of a future trade agreement with the US. But, as you will know, under section 82 of the Wales Act, the Secretary of State has the power to direct Welsh Ministers to implement directives contained within agreements that fall outside their devolved competence. Could you, therefore, please assure us what actions your Government could take were the UK Government to invoke section 82 in order to try to force Welsh Government Ministers to implement damaging measures that they don't agree with, and whether this would involve possibly taking the UK Government to court, as your colleague the international relations Minister has indicated?