Questions now from the party spokespeople, and the Conservatives' spokesperson, Darren Millar. 

Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to ask some questions in relation to your COVID recovery responsibilities, if that's okay, Minister? Since we last spoke, our entire nation and the majority of local authority areas in Wales have been in, and now left, some sort of lockdown. Can you tell us what impact those lockdowns have had on the Welsh Government's long-term COVID recovery strategy?

Well, my responsibilities in relation to COVID recovery have concluded with the publication of the action plan at the beginning of October. So, I'm very happy to refer his question on to the relevant ministerial colleague, who is able to give the answer to his question.

So, there is no COVID recovery Minister, then, at the moment? I wasn't aware that your COVID recovery responsibilities had been removed. But it's very helpful to have, at least, some confirmation of that for Members of this Senedd. I would have thought that we should have had that communicated to us well in advance of you appearing before us today.

Just in relation to the document that you did publish, then, can I ask what discussions have been had with your Cabinet colleagues in relation to the impact of COVID-19 on the reconstruction of Wales post the pandemic? Obviously, I've been very concerned, and I'm sure you have been too, to see that Wales has been seeing a rising unemployment count, which is rising more quickly than in other parts of the UK. What assessment has the Welsh Government done to determine whether that is linked to the length and severity of the local lockdowns, in conjunction with the period that we've just gone through with a national lockdown across Wales?

Well, I'm happy to repeat the point I made earlier, Llywydd. The question on the order paper will be absolutely clear in what capacity I'm answering questions today, and I direct the Member to the observations of the First Minister in relation to this in the committee appearance that he and I both made very recently.

But the point he makes, in relation to the document itself—I think the document outlines some of the significant risks that the Welsh economy faces as a consequence of COVID and anticipates significant job losses, in particular to certain cohorts of people in Wales. And that's exactly why one of the priorities in there is about ensuring the Government does all it can to ensure people stay in work, where they have work, or are best placed to get new work, when that's the route available to them. Some of that is about significant investment in jobs and employability of the sort that the economy Minister has already announced. Some of it is around stimulating the economy through initiatives that have other positive consequences in the context of COVID. So, some of the interventions around green housing and housing construction will be in that space. And that thread, I think, runs entirely through that document in a way that shows, I think, that the impact of COVID is, unfortunately, very multifaceted on our society.

It is indeed multifaceted, and I'm pleased that that document was drawn up. As you know, I had concerns about some elements that did not feature heavily in that document, particularly in relation to the absence of engagement with older people and with the Older People's Commissioner for Wales in the run-up to its publication. Can you tell me what discussions have taken place since that publication in order to reassure Members of the Senedd that the older people's commissioner and other older people's groups and stakeholders have actually been now engaged in a discussion on COVID recovery post the pandemic?

Well, as when the Member last raised the question in the Chamber, I'm afraid I refute the assumption behind his question. The document describes, in a very practical way, a set of very substantive measures, many of which will have a very beneficial impact, particularly on the lives of older people, and, indeed, the older persons' commissioner, in her correspondence with me, I believe, outlines some of those. I think certainly the commissioner, certainly the groups who've been in touch, and I would hope the Member, are much more focused about the substantive impact of that strategy than particular references within it. As he knows—he previously mentioned to me that there weren't any references to older people in the document. I'm sure he will know, by now, having had the opportunity to read the document, that that isn't the case. I've had two very productive conversations—[Interruption.]—I've had two very productive conversations with the older people's commissioner in relation to the document, and I'm sure that he will be pleased to know that their interests are very fully reflected in the document, in a way, perhaps, I don't think they are in his own policy in relation to COVID response. 

Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Dai Lloyd.

Thank you, Llywydd. We just were getting around to thinking that things couldn't get any worse with the Brexit negotiations, and we get the internal market Bill, which breaks international law on Northern Ireland, as well as totally undermining devolution, and the Senedd losing powers across the board. The Bill is on its journey through Westminster at the moment, as you will know, but if your amendments as Welsh Government fail, as is expected, what will the Welsh Government's response be to the destruction of devolution, and to this latest insult to our Senedd and our nation?

Well, as Dai Lloyd knows, we have laid amendments, and the Lords have taken the lead on introducing those amendments, and I think, on the whole, all of them have been introduced in some way. And the memorandum that we've laid before the Senedd in terms of consent describes in detail our concerns in the context of the Bill. We hope that all of those will be dealt with. And if that doesn't happen, there won't be any change to the advice that we give to the Senedd to reject consent for the Bill as it's been introduced, and I do hope, and I do expect, that the UK Government won't continue with the Bill in the face of opposition from the Parliaments. 

Thank you for that, Minister. Turning to issues and challenges at the end of the transition period, and we've all read the response that you have presented today in the 'End of Transition Action Plan 2020'—. Now, specifically on Brexit and Welsh ports, the port of Dublin has invested €30 million in order to develop toll facilities there. In comparison, the necessary developments are few and far between in Fishguard and Holyhead. So, why are the Brexit arrangements of the Welsh ports so far behind as compared with our Irish cousins?

The changes happening in the ports come in the wake of the decision by the UK Government to look for the kind of agreement or contract that's going to create barriers to exports and imports at our ports. Now, we've been calling on the UK Government to include us in the discussions that they've been having from the start of the year. And only very recently has that happened, although it has happened by now. But we've missed that opportunity, or that period of time. And as a Government we're eager to collaborate with the UK Government, of course, on that.

Part of the discussions focus on the infrastructure needed by the ports to deal with the checks that will be required from January in terms of the UK Government, and from July from our perspective. That's when our responsibilities as a Government will come into force, in the middle of next year. We're still waiting for clarity, with 50 days remaining before the end of the transition period. The possible locations in north Wales are limited to one or two, but there's no decision that's been made by the UK Government yet about that. So, we're still waiting for clarity on that. 

This of course is having an impact on some of our responsibilities, in terms of supporting communities, and also in terms of dealing with traffic and so forth. I have raised these issues in meetings with the UK Government, including this morning, and I'm expecting to do so again in a specific meeting next week that will deal with ports here in Wales. 

Thank you for that response. And I heard your words in terms of having a little less collaboration than would be desirable, not that I blame you in that context, Minister. We also know that Irish ports have been investing heavily in alternative routes for their carriers to reach the continent, avoiding UK ports, and avoiding ports such as Holyhead. So, can I ask you what assessment you as the Welsh Government have made on the impact of any reduction in traffic through Welsh ports?

Well, this is a very important question, if I may say so, and the risk of diverting trade is one that we are very concerned about as a Government. There are two major questions that we're still waiting for clarity on, stemming partly from the activity on the protocol in Northern Ireland. The first question is on goods from Northern Ireland—they can go to England and Scotland directly, without any checks. But if they come through the Republic of Ireland, they will be checked in Welsh ports. So, there is a risk there in terms of diversion. And also, on goods from the Republic of Ireland to Wales, there will be checks there, but if they go through Northern Ireland, it's likely that fewer checks will be undertaken. So, those two questions do suggest that the diversion risk is a very real one. We are still awaiting clarity and an impact assessment on that from the UK Government, and a committee is working on the impact on trade at present. We're still waiting for the results of that work.