Diolch. The Welsh Government supports the motion. The Welsh Government is fully committed to the principles of openness and transparency upon which the new agreement is based, and supporting the Senedd's scrutiny role. We take our obligations in relation to fulfilling our responsibilities under the agreement very seriously. 

We continue to update and report to the Senedd on our relations, engagement and joint working with the other Governments within the United Kingdom, as well as with our British-Irish Council partners, just as we continued to uphold our obligations whilst joint work on a new agreement was ongoing. For example, earlier in the autumn term, the First Minister shared an annual IGR report for 2020-21 with Members of the Senedd. The report fulfilled one of our commitments in the agreement by the Welsh Government that was signed up to in the previous Senedd term. Other examples include a statement by the First Minister on an inter-governmental meeting with the Prime Minister of the UK and the First Ministers of the devolved nations, and a statement on the British-Irish Council summit recently hosted by the Welsh Government.

I also wish to put on record what was set out in correspondence with the LJC committee already, with the First Minister confirming that the Welsh Government will write to the LJC committee and other relevant committees to inform them of an intention to consent to the UK Government exercising a delegated legislative power in a devolved area in relation to Wales, explaining the rationale for the intention to consent. Where time allows, we will provide an opportunity for the Senedd to express a view before consent is formally given.

The Welsh Government will also issue a written statement in relation to every exercise of a delegated legislative power by a UK Minister in a devolved area to which the Welsh Ministers have given consent, explaining the rationale for that consent normally within three working days of the laying before, or notification to, the UK Parliament. The First Minister's statements and the annual IGR report are testimony to the importance of transparency, scrutiny and accountability. The First Minister will keep you appraised on the inter-governmental relations review in the spirit of the agreement that we are discussing and debating today.

As for relations with the UK Government, collaboration and joint work is still possible and engagement on the pandemic response and recovery and on operational aspects of EU exit clearly demonstrate this. However, this would be better with respectful, regular and reliable engagement through reformed and robust inter-governmental machinery. We remain hopeful that the joint review will improve the conduct of inter-governmental relations. Even though we face a deeply challenging relationship with the UK Government, the creation of more structured inter-governmental machinery with increased parity of esteem and participation can be important and positive steps. Since the election in May, we have been establishing and re-establishing ministerial relationships in the context of our programme for government, and recalibrating relations in light of political developments across the UK.

To conclude, Deputy Presiding Officer, the Welsh Government is committed to strengthening the transparency of inter-governmental relations and will continue to operate in line with the inter-institutional relations agreement. Diolch.