The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition (in respect of his law officer responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:58 pm on 20 October 2020.

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Photo of Neil McEvoy Neil McEvoy Independent 2:58, 20 October 2020

Diolch. A recent Welsh Governance Centre report made clear that the UK internal market Bill will forever blunt the policy-making tools of the devolved Governments, prioritises removing potential barriers to trade at the expense of all other public policy goals, fatally undermines co-operation between the nations of the UK, and even creates the implication that the UK Government may use new spending powers against the will of our Government and Senedd. I don't see what this has to do with Brexit. When Boris Johnson talked about taking back control, removing powers from Wales that were secured through democratic referenda wasn't on the agenda; it wasn't talked about. The Bill power grabs, and with regard to Wales's own powers on goods and services, which were never actually under the EU's control, it will make all laws and regulations made in Wales—future and past—potentially erasable by the UK Government. The Bill is undemocratic and ignores the settled will of the people of Wales. It may even lead us into unwillingly breaking international law. So, what I'm asking—. I'm sure you would agree with all that, actually. What I'm asking is what concrete steps will your Government be taking to ensure a solid and unified resistance to this outrageous power grab?