Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, Mark Isherwood AM, has responded to warnings about the implications of Brexit, and in particular a no deal Brexit, in the Senedd this week and hit out at Labour and Plaid Cymru for “prolonging the chaos and uncertainty in order to overturn the Referendum and stop Brexit”.
Responding to the Statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government: ‘Preparing our public services in Wales for a 'no deal' Brexit’, Mr Isherwood referred to the Auditor General’s assessment that “most public bodies across Wales are clearly taking their ‘no-deal’ Brexit planning seriously” and quoted South Irish Sea Trade Director for Stena Line, the Port Authority at Holyhead, who has said the UK is now far better prepared for Brexit than in March, the original Brexit date, and that “some of the worst fears that could have become a reality” are not going to be borne out.
Speaking in the Chamber, Mr Isherwood said:
“You referred to the Auditor General for Wales's report, 'Preparations in Wales for a "no-deal" Brexit', published last Friday. Of course, he says that ‘planning for a no-deal Brexit across Welsh public services has continued to accelerate’. How, therefore, do you respond to the key challenges that he identified, facing public service leaders across Wales, in this revision of his February report? These being: to sustain collective working; strengthen communication with the public; enhance independent scrutiny, where those charged with the governance of Wales's public bodies need to enhance their oversight and scrutiny of Brexit preparations; to be collectively ready to respond to the unexpected; and to plan and prepare for longer-term impacts. The Auditor General, in his assessment, published last Friday, for a 'no deal' Brexit said that 'most public bodies across Wales are clearly taking their "no-deal" Brexit planning seriously. Many have significantly ramped up their activity since summer 2018'.
What assessment have you and colleagues therefore made of the £1.4 million from the EU Transition Fund so far provided to Local Authorities by the Welsh Government to help them plan for Brexit, both in terms of impacts and adequacy? Whilst the impact of EU migration on the Welsh public sector workforce is listed as a concern of the Welsh Government in its 'No Deal' Brexit preparation document, the Auditor General found that the risk of staff suddenly leaving in a 'no deal' Brexit or any other was limited, and that public services 'thought the workforce risks were more medium to long-term’. However, the UK Government has been working to minimise any potential medium to long-term risks through the EU Settlement Scheme.
“The UK Government has guaranteed, in the event of a 'No Deal', to cover all European Regional Development Funding that would have been covered under the 2014-20 programme. This provides certainty and clarity to local communities and will allow them to continue to access important funding routes. So, how will the Welsh Government therefore ensure that Local Authorities continue to take advantage of this funding?”
Speaking outside the Chamber, Mr Isherwood added:
“Although Wales voted to leave the EU in 2016, Labour and Plaid Cymru Members keep stating that voters didn’t know what they were voting for. Voters tell me that they feel insulted by this. They backed Brexit again in the European Parliament Elections three years later and the majority voted for Parties who want to leave the EU in August’s Brecon and Radnorshire by-election. As Prime Minister Johnson has said, “the more our friends and partners think that Brexit could be stopped, that the UK could be kept in by Parliament, the less likely they are to give us the deal that we need". Labour, Plaid Cymru and their fellow EU-fundamentalists are prolonging the chaos and uncertainty in order to overturn the Referendum and stop Brexit. As a North Wales resident recently stated in their local paper, “we have been very patient, but our patience is at an end”.
