I think it's a high-quality debate, this, and can I commend the contributions of two excellent Chairs of the committees that I'm a member of, Mick Antoniw and David Rees? They've set the issues neatly before us, because the UK Trade Bill has many flaws, not least that it asks much of the devolved Parliaments yet fails to recognise our democratic right to approve trade agreements reached on our behalf and whose implementation we would govern. Devolved Parliaments must have their approval sought and the right to veto, but this Bill will not give us that right. As a result, Plaid Cymru will vote against this LCM. 

The COVID-19 crisis has proved we need to take a new approach to trade policy for our country. We must consider not only our international priorities and our deep commitment to our environment but also the interests of our communities, businesses and institutions. To achieve this, trade policy must come closer to home. There must be a greater role for our Parliament to make it our trade policy, more resilient and with stronger commitments to climate action. The UK Trade Bill under question today does not do that. Westminster still clings to its one-size-fits-all policy, the size that fits the south-east of England. It's this approach that has created the greatest regional inequalities in Europe, and has amplified divisions between the nations of the United Kingdom.

With the value of Welsh goods exports alone totalling £17.7 billion for the year ending June 2019, international trade is the lifeblood of our economy, allowing Welsh firms, organisations and public bodies to access a global market that draws in investment, income and jobs. Yet the UK Government, despite its abysmal record on negotiating with the EU—to which Wales exported £10 billion of goods and services in 2019—denies our Parliament the right to approve trade deals struck in our name. Our function, it seems, is merely to try to manage the outcomes of these trade deals; we have to lump it.

This Bill fails to address the concerns that trade could negatively impact the climate and environment. Indeed, the UK Government refused to create legally binding trade standards to protect production and quality in areas such as agriculture, as we've heard. We should be taking stronger measures to ensure trade does not come at the cost of the natural world by building into trade agreements conditions relating to ecosystem protection and climate targets. Together with a greater focus on building a domestic circular economy to reduce demand for imported raw materials, measures such as these could reduce significantly the carbon footprint of Welsh trade. Our Parliament must have a say if we are to have any hope of negotiating trade deals that address the growing gulf in our society that respond to and encourage Welsh businesses to export and ensure that our domestic economy can recover from COVID-19. Anything other than equal say is further proof that the UK has learned nothing from the divisions of the last few years and is wilfully ignoring their causes.

The Welsh Government's attitude towards this Bill, though, and securing Welsh interest has been shockingly inadequate. Indeed, the then Minister for international relations, as we've heard, who was previously responsible for this Bill, rejected many of the recommendations put forward by the LJC committee in their first report on this LCM and the tortuous journey it's been on. One of the reasons given for this was that the Minister felt that the UK Government was in a strengthened position with its 80-seat majority since December's election. It was, therefore—and I'm quoting directly here—

'extremely unlikely that any representations the Welsh Government should make to the UK Government on this matter would receive serious consideration.'

So, we didn't bother making any. There we have it, in plain text: Welsh Labour raising the white flag before even making any effort to fight back against Westminster to stand up for the interests of Wales. What better advert for Welsh independence?

Now, the Counsel General admits in the supplementary LCM that—and I quote again—

'Devolved areas may be heavily impacted by future trade agreements'.

If this is the case, why are the Welsh Government content with securing commitments, as we've heard from the UK Government, that are, in the Welsh Government's own words, non-legislative and non-binding? The Sewel convention is patently ignored, inter-governmental agreements and despatch-box promises not worth the paper they are not written on, as LJC and external affairs committees both said, and we've heard in the eloquent presentations by both Chairs this afternoon. For how much longer will Welsh Labour continue to put their faith in Tories and Westminster, whose track record on promises broken is there for all to see? Plaid Cymru will vote against legislative consent on the Trade Bill. Diolch yn fawr.