Preparations for the UK's Exit from the EU

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his Brexit Minister responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:58 pm on 2 October 2019.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:58, 2 October 2019

Oh, forgive me. Yes. Well, just to make the obvious point, the initial response is that many people voted against the deal, including Boris Johnson and half the parliamentary Conservative Party, so I think the prospect that we had a deal in the bag that the Labour Party is responsible for scuppering I think is particularly risible. The question needs to be asked what the proposed renegotiation is of the deal that the Prime Minister proposes, because he will find that he has a hardcore rump of European Research Group members who are going to be hard to placate in any version of this agreement.

But I think, on the point about the port of Holyhead, he will know from the statement that the Minister for transport made in the Chamber yesterday that we've been working with the port to ensure that we have plans in place in order to manage disruption as best we can in the event that there are tailbacks. He will also know that we are looking at those in the context of information that has been provided more recently from the UK Government to ascertain that we have arrangements in place. But I would just say to the Member, obviously, we very much hope that the arrangements are not required and that, if they are required, they work effectively, but I think the broader point, which his question misses, is that a huge amount of resource, energy and financial resource is being committed across this Government and other Governments across the UK to prepare for a 'no deal' Brexit, which is perfectly within the gift of his own Prime Minister to rule out.