1. What discussions has the Counsel General had with the Minister for Education regarding the provision of education post-Brexit? OAQ54800

Good afternoon. I regularly discuss post-Brexit issues with the Minister for Education, including through the Cabinet sub-committee on EU transition and main Cabinet meetings, and I have also met with her separately to discuss this on numerous occasions.

I'm pleased to hear that, Minister. In March, you told me that, and I quote, a significant piece of work was necessary around the qualifications that Welsh Government will accept from teachers coming here to work from EU countries, the countries in which they qualified. When I called for an update about this work from the Trefnydd in June, unfortunately she wasn't able to help me, but, since then, from September this year, all new teachers will need qualifications approved by the Education Workforce Council. It's now been nine months since you said that this significant piece of work would be necessary. How have you and the education Minister worked together to ensure that EU nationals can continue or even begin to teach here as of exit day? Thank you.

Well, the Member will be aware that the Assembly has had regulations that, effectively, in a 'no deal' scenario, for example, provide on a unilateral basis the recognition of existing qualifications for EU nationals working in all kinds of regulated professions in Wales, and that includes the teaching profession. There are arrangements that that set of regulations provides for existing employees, and also to seek to validate or recognise qualifications for those whose applications are currently in the system and, indeed, for those entering the system after exit. But there is an ongoing risk to UK citizens working in the European Union because, in those circumstances, if we were to leave without a deal—we don't, obviously, know on what basis, if at all, we will be leaving at this point—those relationships will not have the benefit of the reciprocal arrangements that currently exist across the European Union. And so those employees working in different parts of the European Union will depend upon the regulatory regime in each individual member state for recognition of their particular qualifications going into the future.