2. What recent assessment has the Counsel General made of the impact on trade and customs arrangements in Wales following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU? OAQ55116

During the transition period, the UK will remain in the customs union and single market, leaving tariffs and customs arrangements unchanged for that period. It's clear this will change significantly at the end of transition, with a real increase in non-tariff barriers, including requirements for customs documentation, and potentially tariffs also.

You'll be aware that I've raised on a number of occasions concerns by the RMT trade union about the impact of potential customs arrangements and changes, particularly with regard to the impact on shipping, the impact on competition within shipping, the impact on the collective agreements that are currently held by trade unions to protect terms and conditions of employment, and also the implications in respect of potentially undercutting of freight terms and conditions, the underpayment of minimum wage, as well as all the issues of external, broader non-payment of national minimum wage. I wonder what steps the Government is taking, and what discussions the Welsh Government is having to try and ensure that we preserve the recommendations of the Fair Work Commission and protect the rights and interests of workers within seafaring and within freight, and also in terms of the issues around the future status of the port of Milford Haven.

I thank the Member for that important question and his point illuminates one of the under-explored aspects of some of the impacts of non-tariff barriers in particular. I can assure him that we continue to take every opportunity to impress upon the UK Government in their negotiations the importance of maintaining as few barriers as possible to trade, including the kind of freight lines that he described in his question. That is part of a broader commitment, which I know very well that he shares, to ensure that labour standards are maintained into the future. Obviously, we wish to see the continuation of a level playing field in our future relationship with the European Union, now that we are outside the European Union. Part of that, and a crucial part of it, relates to labour standards and certainly we in Wales are committed to maintaining those.