2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:42 pm on 14 June 2022.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 2:42, 14 June 2022

Minister, we're waiting to see what happens today with the scheduled flight of asylum seekers to Rwanda. But I would be grateful for a Welsh Government update on its discussion with the UK Government on this particular matter. The Counsel General provided a useful account last week, but it would be good to have an oral statement that Members might have an opportunity to speak to. It's an ugly policy. It's an insult to our country's reputation, as is the mess over the Northern Ireland protocol. It's stupid, it's expensive and it's ineffective. There may be as few as seven people on today's first flight. That is a massive waste of taxpayers' money, and it won't work. Even the Home Office says there's no evidence of a deterrent effect. It's a cynical attempt to distract from the Tories' cost-of-living failures and their own infighting. That's my opinion. Conservative Senedd Members here might disagree with that. So, I think it would be a good time to timetable a discussion to get the real feeling on this horrendous policy from all Members that want to participate in it in this Chamber.