2. What recent steps has the Welsh Government taken to prepare for the UK leaving the European Union? OQ55655

The impact of the end of transition will be significant and work has been under way across the Welsh Government on preparing for the range of scenarios we may face at the end of December. This includes developing our own bespoke interventions and working as well with the UK Government on preparedness projects.

It's very important for Wales, I believe, that EU citizens living here continue to do so, and continue contributing to life in Wales, bringing their skills to our workforce and economy, enriching our culture and communities, taking a full part in life in Wales in all aspects. So, Counsel General, could you update us on the steps taken by Welsh Government to ensure that there is awareness of the settled status scheme, so that we do get a good level of applications from EU citizens in Wales, and hopefully the vast majority of them continue to live here in Wales and enrich our society in the way that they are?

Well, firstly, let me associate myself with the Member's comment in the question in relation to the contribution made by EU citizens who've chosen to make Wales their home. We want them to continue to feel the welcome that we've always extended, and to recognise the valuable contribution that they make, which is why this is such an important question.

Our central, recent concern has been in relation to more vulnerable or excluded groups who may not be able easily to access the scheme. We've tried to do what we can in terms of communications and social media campaigns, and we've allocated funding through the European transition fund, as he will recall, to organisations such as Citizens Advice—[Inaudible.]—local authorities and an expert service through an immigration law firm here in Wales. 

What has happened, unfortunately, during the last few months, as a consequence of COVID, is that a number of those groups who've been working face-to-face with EU citizens have obviously not been able to do that, given constraints as a result of COVID. And there has been the temporary closure of a number of Home Office support services, for example. I have recently written to the Home Secretary to press her to consider extending the deadline for applications in light of that, so that, in particular, people who might struggle to identify the scheme, perhaps, have an opportunity to do that. The UK Government has refused to extend the deadline, and whilst they maintain that if someone has reasonable grounds for missing it, they will be given a further opportunity, clearly people need certainty about what lies ahead. So, we continue to press that case. 

We know that there are about 70,000 people in Wales who may need to make an application. We think the applications are a little over 60,000 at this point, but, of course, only a small majority of those will have had settled status; a very significant proportion still have pre-settled status. But we seek to encourage EU citizens across Wales to apply at the earliest opportunity to the scheme. 

Alun Davies.

Will the Minister make a statement on how his economic programme will support areas such as Blaenau Gwent?

As set out in our publication yesterday, we are committed—

Sorry, Minister—this is your supplementary question, Alun Davies, to question 2.

Yes, I've just asked it. 

No, you didn't, you asked question 3 on the order paper. You made a request for a supplementary question for question 2. 

I'm sorry. Will the Minister make a statement on the release of documents yesterday that showed that the UK Government has deliberately sought to keep information from the devolved administrations in terms of their plans for Brexit, and their plans for the internal market Bill?

I thank the Member for that question. Behaviour such as withholding information from devolved administrations, in relation to the matter of preparedness on a question so significant as this, is fundamentally corrosive of the relationship of trust between Governments in the UK. What we have been able to say is that, in the area of preparation, joint working has been possible, and it has been effective, even if it has, at times, not been adequate. But where information is withheld, that causes the Welsh Government to have to revisit our level of assurance around the arrangements that have been put in place. And I was very disappointed, not least that yesterday I had a meeting with UK Government Ministers to describe food supply, and to see the information that was put in the public domain a matter of hours after that was particularly disappointing. 

I've asked for an urgent meeting with Michael Gove, so that I can understand what's gone on here, and what other information we may not be having access to. What this suggests is that, where there is a policy or political difference between the governments in the UK, we cannot rely on full information being made available. And I think the reference in the extract that we saw yesterday to the internal market Bill just tells us, I think, how toxic that Bill is in terms of its impact on the relationship between Governments across the UK. 

Minister, clearly, we had the Road Haulage Association before the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee last week, and one of their concerns was, not for themselves—they said they'd get things sorted out during the first two months of next year—but the concerns of clients, and the paperwork from customs issues in relation to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and border controls. They're deeply worried that there's not enough preparation being made to ensure that those clients are in a position to get that done in time, because they clearly stated that lorries would not be leaving unless they had the documentation ready. What discussions are you having with the UK Government, and particularly with HMRC, to ensure that the systems are in place to ensure that businesses in Wales are able to undertake the proper procedures and get the paperwork done, so that all their goods can travel to Europe without any delays whatsoever? 

Well, subject to the concerns that I have just articulated more broadly, the level of engagement in relation to haulier preparedness and business preparedness more broadly hasn't been what it needs to be. There is a very practical set of interventions that will have a very real effect on routes to our ports, if freight operators are not able to arrive there with the level of preparation that's required. There will be a significant potential logistical knock-on effect to that. And as you say, as the Member says, there is a much broader ripple effect in terms of the preparedness of suppliers and businesses across the UK, and it remains the case that our confidence that that level of preparation amongst businesses is being undertaken is very low. That isn't a criticism of those businesses. Many of them are facing incredible pressures as a consequence of the response to COVID and, bluntly, even though we want to raise awareness that there is a need to prepare, nobody at this point can articulate exactly what's required in order to meet those new arrangements. And so that is exactly why there needs to be an urgent clarification around those requirements and stepped-up engagement, both with hauliers, but also enabling businesses to make those preparations in a sensible and pragmatic way, as the Member suggests.