According to Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe, Mark Isherwood AM, there is a “will in both the UK and Welsh Governments to conclude an agreement which will allow the EU Withdrawal Bill to go forward”.
Responding to the Statement in the Assembly Chamber by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Mark Drakeford AM, on the 22nd February ‘Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) EU Negotiations Meeting’, Mr Isherwood said:
“The joint communiqué issued by you, by David Lidington for the UK Government, by the Scottish Government, and a senior civil servant from the Northern Ireland Administration, following last Thursday's JMC on European Negotiations, 'noted the engagement that had taken place between UK Government and Devolved Administration officials since the previous meeting', and said 'Engagement would continue with the aim of ensuring the Devolved Administrations were fully involved in developing the UK’s negotiating position, while respecting the UK Government’s role as negotiator.'
“That, clearly, applies less to what you've thus far addressed and more to negotiations ongoing between the UK Government and the EU itself. Therefore, I'd be grateful if you could give us a little bit more information about what involvement the Welsh Government has in developing the UK's negotiating position, as articulated in that joint communiqué by you and others.
“The same communiqué stated that the JMC discussed the EU withdrawal Bill and the proposal to amend clause 11, noting that progress had been made but agreement had not yet been reached between the three Governments, or Northern Ireland, on the form of amendments, but discussions on further detail would continue.
“Yesterday's speech at Airbus Broughton by David Lidington, who, as you know, Chairs the JMC(EN) meetings, said that we must protect the UK internal market whilst respecting devolution. He noted that eight out of 10 goods lorries leaving Wales go to the rest of the UK, highlighting the importance of the UK common market.
He said, 'We will build on the future North Wales Growth Deal by also fostering opportunities between Welsh cities and the rest of the UK,' which was encouraging. He said that we'll protect the vital common market of the UK, but then said that four different sets of rules 'would only make it more difficult and more expensive for a cheesemaker in Monmouthshire to sell to customers in Bristol or for a cattle farmer in Aberdeenshire to sell their beef in Berwick-upon-Tweed'.
“He added, therefore, that his proposal was to amend the Bill before Parliament to make clear that, while frameworks are being agreed, the presumption would now be that powers returning from the EU should sit at a devolved level, and I think that's what this House seeks.
“He said that Westminster would only be involved where, to protect the UK common market or to meet international obligations, there needed to be a pause to give the Governments time to design and put in place a UK-wide framework”.
“So, that's the impasse, I believe: the UK Government position, as articulated by David Lidington yesterday, and the ongoing concerns of the Welsh and Scottish Governments in particular about some devolved matters not passing directly to the devolved Governments. Therefore, can you tell us, specifically, what further movement, beyond the movement that's already occurred, you would like to see, or you need to see, in order to move matters forward?
In his response, the Cabinet Secretary stated “the speech by Mr Lidington yesterday did move a step forward in relation to our clause 11 concerns. The UK Government's proposition now is that all those responsibilities that have been at this National Assembly and exercised through the European Union should remain here after Brexit, other than a small number that would be retained centrally while we continue to negotiate framework arrangements so that the UK internal market can continue to operate effectively. What we now need to do is to have a detailed discussion with the UK Government about some of the practical ways in which that would operate, and the key issue at stake remains that of consent”.
Mr Isherwood added: ”Having already achieved so much, It is clearly apparent that there is a will in both the UK and Welsh Governments to conclude an agreement which will allow the EU Withdrawal Bill to go forward. Let us hope that a final push, combined with constructive engagement with Scotland, will now enable this to happen.”