10. How is the Minister working to ensure that the Welsh Government's commitment to global responsibility is incorporated into its trade policy? OQ58361

Rather than viewing trade policy solely in economic terms, our approach relies on using a well-being of future generations lens to consider the full impact that trade policy could have on Wales. This includes ensuring that our approach aligns with our national well-being goal of being a globally responsible nation.

Thank you for that, Minister. The Welsh Government's commitment to global responsibility is a welcome move, especially in terms of biodiversity, climate change, sustainable economic development and employment rights when it comes to trade policy. There are, however, other less tangible impacts of global trade on the lives of people across the world. These international trade deals affect cultures, traditions, identities and languages in every country involved, often in negative or exploitative ways. Our conscience has to stretch as far as the limits of those supply chains, or else that commitment to global responsibility won't be fully met. So, Minister, how is the Welsh Government ensuring that its trade policy is globally responsible when it comes to the impact on culture, languages and ways of life for citizens in other nations?

We do try to take a rounded approach to the way in which we promote and support Welsh businesses as exporters and, indeed, importers as well. It's part of the reason why we've been concerned about some of the impact of some of the trade deals that have already been agreed, for example their impact on the rural economy here. You'll have heard the First Minister saying that one of the challenges would be a potential influx of other goods, which could mean that rural Wales is no longer part of what we understand it could and should be.

When it comes to our impact on trade in other parts of the world, we again try to take account of that in the sorts of trade deals that we do and what we do in terms of our support as a Government. You'll recall, for example, that some parts of the petrochemical industry would rather we carried on going to some of the international events; we've chosen not to do that, because we're switching much more of our support into advanced manufacture, engineering and, indeed, in wanting to secure more opportunities in the renewables sector, both here in Wales and further afield. So, rather than the broad point, I think it might be more helpful to think about some of those individual questions about who we do business with as countries and nations, but also the sorts of firms we're looking to support in making sure that they're able to grow the economy here and in other parts of the world.

I thank the Minister.