(Title Image: via Senedd TV)
In a development which will likely come as little surprise, the Counsel General & Brexit Minister, Jeremy Miles (Lab, Neath), has recommended that the Senedd refuses to grant its consent to the UK’s Internal Market Bill (pdf) unless it’s significantly amended.
The Senedd will need to grant consent because the Bill concerns policy areas which are devolved. It’s unclear as of posting when a formal vote will take place.
Some specific objections relating to the Bill include:
- The Bill automatically applies market access principles without requiring intergovernmental agreements, which will effectively nullify/override Welsh rules on product standards, environmental standards and professional qualifications.
- The Welsh Government doesn’t believe the Competition & Markets Authority – a UK Government agency – is a suitable vehicle to policy the new internal market.
- There’s an objection to breaches of international law concerning the Brexit withdrawal agreement and Northern Ireland.
- The UK Government shouldn’t have any financial assistance powers in relation to devolved areas, which could “undermine spending decisions by the Senedd and Welsh ministers”. There’s no commitment or detail on how these powers would be used.
- State aid policy should be developed through negotiation and shouldn’t be a reserved matter/under the exclusive control of the UK Government.
The Counsel General concludes by saying: “….the Welsh Government will not be in a position to recommend that consent be given unless the Bill is substantially amended to address our significant concerns.”
