4. Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition: The End of the Transition Period

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:38 pm on 15 December 2020.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 3:38, 15 December 2020

(Translated)

May I agree with that final point, and endorse Dai Lloyd's comments on the work that is being done across Wales to prepare for this, with the Welsh Government, but also with our partners and the various sectors, in preparation for the end of the transition period, which is just 16 days away? So, Dai Lloyd is right to say that some disruption is inevitable in both scenarios facing us, because of the uncertainties and the new red tape that the Westminster Government has imposed on businesses and exports here in Wales.

The Member asked three questions. First of all, what has the role of the Welsh Government been in negotiations? Well, our role has been in common frameworks and in preparing legislation, and preparing for what the outcome will be. But as he knows from discussions we've had in the past, the roles of the devolved Governments haven't been what they should have been in the negotiation process. So, these are the UK Government's negotiations—for better or for worse. The priorities of the people of Wales, expressed through the Welsh Government, haven't been given a proper place in the process of agreeing a position across the Governments of the UK and then having an influence on the negotiations through doing so. There have been elements of influence, but there hasn't been the structure that this Senedd would have expected on behalf of the people of Wales.

In terms of the second question, on medicines, arrangements are in place across the UK. It's the role of the UK Government to import medicines from abroad into the UK, but arrangements are in place, in order to ensure that that can happen in the context that he describes, that is to say when medicines can't be stored and they have to be transported urgently. If there was any disruption in ports, then there are systems in place to bring them in by air freight to ensure that they arrive in good time. And arrangements have been agreed with the four Governments, so that there is equal sharing of those across the four nations, with the clinical influence of the chief medical officers being very important in that in ensuring that that distribution happens on an equal basis. 

And in terms of the final question on a deal, well, I agree with what Dai Lloyd has said that this deal doesn't reflect what we would want to see on behalf of the people of Wales. It doesn't provide sufficient assurances for our economy, our employers and our exporters. But a deal of this kind would be better than no deal. And we do have a possible scenario in the new year, as Dai Lloyd has recognised, that a deal may have been reached but that it hadn't been ratified, or that it's still being negotiated, or it has been negotiated but hasn't been signed off. So, all of those scenarios are possible, and, of course, we are looking at what could happen in those scenarios. As he will know, the arrangements that we have put in place, to date, are on the basis of exiting with no deal. So, we have that worst-case scenario as part of our planning, too.