– in the Senedd at 3:52 pm on 26 November 2019.
Item 5 on the agenda is the Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) (No 3) Regulations 2019, and again I call on the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to move that motion—Lesley Griffiths.
Motion NDM7201 Rebecca Evans
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales; in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:
1. Approves that the draft The Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) (No. 3) Regulations 2019 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 25 October 2019.
Thank you. I move the motion. The amending regulations address deficiencies in the following domestic regulations as a result of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, including transitional arrangements, inserting definitions and updating references to EU regulations: the Marketing of Fresh Horticultural Produce (Wales) Regulations 2009; the Eggs and Chicks (Wales) Regulations 2010; the Poultrymeat (Wales) Regulations 2011; the Food (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which amend the Beef and Veal Labelling (Wales) Regulations 2011; and the Food Information (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which insert transitional provisions in the Food Information (Wales) Regulations 2014.
Regulations 2 and 5 amend the Marketing of Fresh Horticultural Produce (Wales) Regulations 2009 and the Beef and Veal Labelling (Wales) Regulations 2019 respectively. Those regulations insert and amend transitional provisions to ensure businesses are provided with a 21-month grace period to adapt to labelling changes arising from our withdrawal from the EU, therefore allowing producers a fair opportunity to adjust without unduly committing an offence.
Regulation 3 amends the Eggs and Chicks (Wales) Regulations 2010, which make provision for the enforcement and execution of marketing standards applicable to eggs for hatching, farmyard poultry chicks and eggs in shell for human consumption. A definition of 'third country' is inserted and references to EU legislation and terms that will no longer be appropriate or relevant after exit day are removed from the Schedules.
Regulation 4 amends the Poultrymeat (Wales) Regulations 2011, which make provision for the enforcement and execution of marketing standards applicable to poultry meat. The amendment inserts a definition of 'third country' into regulation 2(1) of the 2011 regulations. Finally, regulation 6 amends a transitional provision inserted into the Food Information (Wales) Regulations 2014. The change provides greater certainty on how this applies to products placed on the market prior to exit day and following the exit day as well as to differentiate between the treatment of wine produce and other specified produce during the transitional period. Regulations 1 to 4 come into force on exit day. Regulations 5 and 6 come into force immediately before exit day.
Thank you. Can I call on the Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee? Mick Antoniw.
Diolch. We considered these regulations at our meeting on 11 November and we laid our report before the Assembly on 12 November. As with our scrutiny of all statutory instruments, we consider them against the criteria set out in our Standing Orders 21.2 and 21.3. In the case of these regulations, our report noted only one point under Standing Order 21.3(ii), namely that the regulations have been made under the 'made affirmative' procedure. We noted that this was the first use by Welsh Ministers of the urgent procedure under paragraph 7 of Schedule 7 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and that this was in preparation for the UK's then expected exit on 31 October 2019 from the European Union. I'd just like also to take the opportunity to say that we noted the same point in our report on the Animal Health and Welfare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, which are also considered this afternoon as item 6, but on which I won't make a further comment. Diolch.
Thank you. Can I call on the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to reply?
No. Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.