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Research Briefing:

1.       Introduction

This paper provides an update on the most recent developments on Brexit of relevance to Wales. It includes sections on the work in the Assembly and Welsh Government; EU-level; UK-level; and Scotland and Ireland. The period covered is 11 to 25 January, although reference is made to later events where information is available at time of final drafting.

2.       Developments in Wales

National Assembly for Wales

External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee

The External Affairs and Additional Legislation (EAAL) Committee is the lead Committee in the Assembly for co-ordinating the Brexit-related activities of Committees. The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the Potential Implications of Leaving the EU in Wales.

The most recent sessions of the EEAL Committee inquiry were:

§    16 January: Private meeting to discuss the Committee’s draft report as part of its work on implications for Wales of Britain exiting the European Union.

§    23 January: Evidence from Mark Drakeford AM, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government on the latest from the Joint-Ministerial Committee.

Chair’s statement on the Supreme Court judgment on Article 50.

Regular updates on the work of the EAAL Committee are posted on the Assembly Blog: https://assemblyblog.wales/tag/european-union/.

Other

The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee is carrying out an inquiry into

17 January: Statement on a new partnership with the EU: David Davis’ statement in Parliament.

17 January: Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with President Tusk, President Juncker, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Hollande.

18 January: Prime Minister Theresa May called Poland’s PM Beata Szydło to discuss the UK’s objectives for the negotiations to leave the European Union.

19 January: Davos 2017: Prime Minister's speech to the World Economic Forum.

19 January: We will create a fairer society: and I want an exit that will work for all of us: articles by Theresa May.

21 January: Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to the new President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani.

22 January: Prime Minister call with NATO Secretary General.

22 January: Prime Minister call with President Anastasiades of Cyprus.

24 January: Supreme Court ruling on Article 50: statement.

24 January: Statement on the process for triggering Article 50.

27 January: Prime Minister Theresa May met President Donald Trump in Washington.

JMC (EN)

30 January: JMC (EN) meeting.

House of Commons

17 January: Following the Prime Minister’s statement at Lancaster House, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union lead a debate on New Partnership with the EU. Later there was a SNP debate: Leaving the EU: the Rural Economy.

17 January: Westminster Hall - Stephen Doughty MP lead a debate on “Effect of the UK leaving the EU on infrastructure in Wales”.

18 January: Westminster Hall debate - Process for the UK to leave the EU.

18 January: Brexit was discussed in Prime Minister’s Questions, and later there was a debate on Leaving the EU: Security, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.

24 January: Statement and debate on the Article 50 judgement. The Secretary of State referred to where powers from the EU will reside – Westminster or the devolved nations.

24 January: Two Westminster Hall debates, on the Effect of the UK exiting the EU on EU funding for Northern Ireland, and Animal welfare standards in farming after the UK leaves the EU.

26 January: First reading of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

The second reading stage is expected to be 31 January to 1 February, with the committee stage the week after.

11 January: The Education Committee held a public hearing at Pembroke College, University of Oxford for the first evidence session of its inquiry on the impact of exiting the European Union on higher education. A further evidence session was held on 25 January.

14 January: The Exiting the European Union Committee's first report calls for transitional arrangements on trade, no return to tariffs for UK businesses and parliamentary vote on final deal.

17 January: The European Scrutiny Committee is considering the question Will UK nationals need authorisation to travel to Schengen area post-Brexit? On 18 January the committee heard from David Lidington MP, Leader of the House of Commons, about European Scrutiny and the Government.

18 January: Exiting the European Union Committee evidence session on Residency rights in Brexit negotiations. On 25 January the Committee took evidence from the Gibraltarian Government.

16th January: Northern Ireland Affairs evidence session on “Future of the land border with the Republic of Ireland”

17 January: The International Trade Committee took evidence on "UK trade options beyond 2019" focusing on UK export industries—particularly car-manufacturing and agriculture, and CETA.

20 January: The Economic Affairs Committee has published a call for evidence for its new inquiry, "Brexit and the Labour Market"

24 January: Treasury Committee evidence sessions on the UK's Future Economic Relationship with the EU.

24 January: The International Trade Committee held an evidence session on the UK's Brexit negotiation strategy and future of service sector.

Foreign Affairs Committee: Resignation of Lord Hill of Oareford [Jonathan Hill] from the European Commission – transcript.

House of Lords

The House of Lords European Union Committee and its six Sub-Committees is undertaking a “co-ordinated series of inquiries into the key issues that will arise in the forthcoming negotiations on Brexit”.

11 January: Questions on Brexit: EU Nationals’ Right to Remain.

12 January: Questions on European Union: Freedom of Movement, and on Brexit: Trade Arrangements.

16 January: A question on Brexit: Single Market and Workers’ Rights.

17 January: A debate on the Government’s statement A New Partnership with the EU.

19 January: Questions on Brexit: Hate Crimes, and a debate Brexit: Creative Industries.

The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee has published the oral and written evidence for the inquiry Brexit: Environment and Climate Change. It has also launched a new enquiry Brexit: Agriculture, the first evidence session was on 25 January.

10 January: The European Union Committee took evidence from David Jones MP, Department for Exiting the European Union, and from Alok Sharma MP, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on the outcome of the December European Council meeting.

12 January: The European Union Committee visited Strasbourg to meet Members of the European Parliament.

16 January: The EU External Affairs and EU Internal Market Sub-Committees co-hosted a discussion of their report on EU-UK trade post-Brexit at Kings College.

16 January: EU Internal Market Sub-Committee took more evidence on their inquiry Brexit: future trade between the UK and EU in services from Matt Hancock MP, Minister of State for Digital and Culture, Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Lord Tariq Mahmood Ahmad, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Department for Transport; and Dr Jesse Norman MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Industry and Energy, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

17 January: The EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee took evidence on precedents and options for UK-EU migration, following the meeting on 11 January where they heard from Robert Goodwill MP, Minister for Immigration at the Home Office, and Rt Hon. David Jones MP, Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union.

17 January: The EU Justice Sub-Committee took evidence on civil justice cooperation.

18 January: The EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee took evidence for its inquiry Brexit: EU budget, following the session on 11 January.

News

Toyota warns on competitiveness after Brexit (Japan Today, 19 January)

Article 50 case: Supreme Court judgement and press release (24 January)

5.       Scotland

Scottish Parliament

10 January: A debate on Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Union).

17 January: A debate on Scotland’s Future Relationship with Europe.

20 January: Brexit: What Scotland Thinks – major study published by Holyrood’s European Committee.

23 January: European Committee in Brussels Talks.

Scottish Government

12 January: Impact of Brexit to Glasgow.

13 January: Brexit risk to research.

19 January: JMC meeting on Brexit.

21 January: Migrants welcome.

22 January: Cabinet Secretary highlights threat of leaving the European Single Market on food and farming industries.

6.       Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Executive

16 January: Elections are set for 2 March.

7.       UK Ireland relations

The (Irish) EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan urges Ireland to keep distance from UK on Brexit (Irish Times, 9 January)

8.       Other reports published

§    House of Commons Library

§    Effect of the UK leaving the EU on infrastructure in Wales (13 January)

§    Brexit: what impact on those currently exercising free movement rights? (19 January)

§    Other

§    Dominic Cummings: how the Brexit referendum was won

§    Mitigating the impact of tariffs on UK-EU trade (Civitas)

§    Social Integration – Interim Report into Integration of Immigrants (House of Commons  All Party Group)

§    What small firms want from Brexit (Federation of Small Businesses)