Billed as the speech of her premiership, there has been a mixed reaction to Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit speech from Wales. Despite assurances that the devolved administrations would be fully engaged in Brexit negotiations, First Minister Carwyn Jones has expressed his determination to continue to push for “full and unfettered” access to the single market. Plaid Cymru has warned of an extreme Brexit and Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies has denied that it would damage the economy in any way.
Addressing AMs in the Senedd, Carwyn Jones said that the Assembly would need a vote on the final Brexit deal as well as Parliament, as many of its terms would cover policy areas devolved to Wales. He stressed that, over the coming months and years, anything that impairs the ability of Welsh businesses to export or make it difficult to employ staff would need to be avoided. Particularly pertinent to the Welsh Government will be the future of farming subsidies to Welsh farmers, as well as economic aid granted to some of Wales’ most deprived areas, both of which are currently controlled at an EU level. Carwyn Jones will need to act swiftly if the Welsh Government is to take control of these areas.
Meanwhile Finance Minister Mark Drakeford has already joined with Ministers from across the UK’s devolved administrations at a Joint Ministerial Committee meeting on Brexit, pushing for maximum access for Welsh business.
Mark Drakeford has also outlined provisions in a new Welsh Government Bill to repeal parts of the UK Government’s Trade Union Act 2016, primarily its repeal of a strike ballot threshold in public services of 40%. The Bill would also repeal the Act’s provisions on trade union facility time, and conditions on payroll deductions for trade union membership.
Constitutional issues have remained high on the agenda as Assembly Members voted 38 to 17 to support the Legislative Consent Motion on the Wales Bill. There was a wide degree of consensus on the perceived flaws of the legislation, aside from the Welsh Conservatives, with both UKIP and Plaid Cymru voting against the LCM. Despite earlier reports of reservations within Welsh Labour ranks, the governing party joined with the Welsh Conservatives in voting to ensure the Wales Bill remains on track to pass into law. The Bill will extend the powers of the Assembly over elements of tax, energy, transport and its own affairs. It will now return to the House of Lords for its final stages and is expected to gain Royal assent in early February.
As the NHS in England looks to be at breaking point with reports of humanitarian crises at A&E departments, increased pressure on GPs services and junior doctors strikes, comparably over the border Cabinet Secretary for Health Vaughan Gething may well be breathing a sigh of relief. However, newly published NHS Wales waiting times will be a pause for thought, as they continue to lag behind those in England in most key categories for treatment and diagnosis. The Health Secretary has however welcomed the publication of a report into the Independent Review of the Individual Patient Funding Request (IPFR) Process. A key part of the post-election agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, the review makes a number of recommendations including abolishing the need for patients to demonstrate exceptionality, the need for greater national consistency, less bureaucracy and understanding of the process.