The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 20 October 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:13, 20 October 2020

I thank Delyth Jewell for that, Llywydd. Wales is a relatively recent member of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. I'm very glad indeed to have been invited to do so. Of course, Delyth Jewell is right—other members of the alliance are also adversely affected by this Bill. Our efforts at this point are concentrated on turning the Bill back, rather than dealing with its adverse consequences, because that is the better way to solve this problem—to convince the UK Government, through the actions we will take, working with others, not to inflict that harm on us in the first place. Because that harm will be felt not just directly in Wales in terms of the things that we would want to do, but it will affect our ability to work with others to advance those simple but progressive causes that have done so much to protect people here in Wales—to protect them from adulterated food, to protect animal health standards, to advance a genuinely environmental agenda here in Wales. We don't want to see that, people in Wales don't want to see that, and we will work with others, as I've said, not just in Wales, but in the alliance as well, to go on making that case.