We were told at the start of the negotiations that the Prime Minister had an oven-ready deal. Well, where is it? And we were told by the UK Government that by insisting, in the face of all logic, to push ahead with the 31 December deadline for the end of transition, despite the COVID pandemic, they would bring an end to the uncertainty that has dogged the UK for the last four years. Well, the reality is very different. We are 16 days from leaving the transition period, and we are no clearer in knowing whether we will be leaving with a deal or not.

Dirprwy Lywydd, it's clearly important that the UK Government and the European Commission have agreed to continue to talk. The absolute priority must be to avoid the outcome where we leave the transition period without an agreement. If that happens, we will see short-term chaos and long-term damage: disruption at our borders, posing risks to the supply of critical goods; higher costs of food and other basics; lower exports and more red tape for businesses, leading to less investment and ultimately to lost jobs and lower wages. That is not to mention the increased risks to the safety for our citizens, which is supposedly the first duty of a Government, from terrorists and organised crime.

Our position has been clear ever since the referendum. At every stage of negotiations, however far from our preferred outcome the UK Government has taken us, we have argued for maintaining the closest possible relationship with the European Union. Of the alternatives that we all face today, a deal, however thin, is the best way to achieve that. So, today I call again on the UK Government and on the EU to show the flexibility and the compromise that are needed to find an agreement. We live in a world of interdependence, not independence. The UK Government has to accept the fact that entering any trade deal necessarily limits sovereignty. This is the reality for ensuing the fullest access to markets for domestic goods and for services, and for avoiding higher prices for our consumers. And the European Union is by far our largest market.

The issues that remain unresolved are important, but they are not more important than the millions of jobs across the United Kingdom that rely on trade with the European Union, and they are not more important than the safety and security of our citizens. Although recent developments give some grounds for hope, as a responsible Government, we've been planning for the worst-case scenario of a 'no deal', and we will continue to do that. Over the coming weeks, our priorities are, as we set out in our end of transition plan published over a month ago: mitigating the disruption in the supply of critical goods; encouraging and supporting businesses to make the necessary preparations for the upheaval of leaving the single market and the customs union; and doing whatever we can to bolster the resilience of our citizens and public services.

We cannot wait for the clarity that we need. That is why we are already utilising our existing warehouse capacity to stockpile medical devices and consumables. We have contracted international trade advisers to support businesses to prepare for the changes in trading arrangements. And we are redeploying resources to stand up our civil contingencies response. There is no escaping the enormous challenges that lie ahead, and the fact that there is precious little time in which to prepare. But, we are working hard with our partners and our message is clear: we are here to support you. In the crucial final stages of the negotiations, we will continue to press the UK Government to set the dogma of sovereignty aside for the good of our jobs and livelihoods in Wales.

At this stage, with only 16 days to go, a deal—even as thin as this one would be—is better than no deal. The deal on the table should not be seen as a success. It lacks ambition and is far from the deal we would have wanted. However, it would avoid some of the worst effects of a disorderly 'no deal' end of transition and would give us something to build upon in the future. It will keep our relationship with the European Union from entirely breaking down and keeps open the prospect of building a set or arrangements in the future that can protect jobs, the economy and ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens.

Leaving the transition period without a deal would be a historic failure by the United Kingdom Government—failure that would be a product of poor negotiating tactics and of elevating political symbolism above the jobs of people. There are stark choices that lie ahead for the UK Government: prioritise the red lines and the soundbites or prioritise the jobs that give the citizens of the UK the livelihoods that they depend upon.