Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, ac rwy’n diolch i’r Prif Weinidog am ei ddatganiad heddiw.

Of course, there’s no doubt that the future governance of the UK has to change once we leave the European Union. Many of us would argue that it needed to change regardless of the outcome of the referendum last year, of course. The document published by Welsh Government today elaborates on the proposals for a UK Council of Ministers to jointly agree the common frameworks that will be required once we leave the EU, and it rightly identifies a range of areas and functions that are devolved, but which work within the parameters of existing EU frameworks.

Upon leaving the EU, these matters remain devolved, as the First Minister has said, unless the UK Government acts unilaterally to re-reserve these matters, back to their pre-1999 status, and, of course, that would be unacceptable to Plaid Cymru. But we are right to be anxious about this, because, as the First Minister has said, we have had no details of the mechanics of the devolution that the UK Government has in mind post Brexit, other than warm words. And I wonder whether the First Minister can update us on any sudden change of heart the Prime Minister has on the future mechanics of devolution and co-operation between the devolved administrations on those matters that will require joint working and co-operation. I hear that she’s been swotting up on devolved government since the general election for some reason.

Whilst Plaid Cymru welcomes, of course, the proposals for the UK Council of Ministers, as was outlined originally in the White Paper between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, the paper published and under consideration today has language in it that, of course, would not fit with Plaid Cymru’s political paradigm in terms of the durability, or even the desirability, of the centralised political union of the United Kingdom. But, we agree that it is in everyone’s interest and in every nation’s interest that countries work together and co-operate where they can. And I would recommend the First Minister read a pamphlet published by Gwynfor Evans in 1960, not available in any good bookshop, ‘Self-government for Wales and a Common Market for the Nations of Britain’. We do not need an over-centralised state to facilitate very good relations between our countries.

Circumstances have changed, as I’ve touched on before, since the UK general election. The Democratic Unionist Party now holds the balance of power across the United Kingdom. This certainly gives one devolved administration a political advantage that may become a significant economic advantage too. So, I wonder if the First Minister has had conversations with the Prime Minister on how we cannot have a UK Council of Ministers post Brexit, but actually an urgent UK Council of Ministers pre Brexit, now that negotiations are under way and now that one party, leading a devolved administration, holds the balance of power across the United Kingdom. What is the First Minister’s assessment of the likelihood of other devolved administrations now agreeing to a formal UK Council of Ministers, given that new political context because, perversely, there is now an interest for one party, at least, for there not to be a UK Council of Ministers, but instead for there to be a bilateral relationship between the Democratic Unionist Party and the Conservative and Unionist Party?

Also, and the First Minister touched on this in his response to the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, given the fact that the Irish border question, the issue of the common travel area and the overlapping frameworks that already exist between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are very much at the top end of the agenda in EU-UK negotiations—indeed, they were discussed yesterday on the very first day of those bilateral negotiations—is there not now scope to go beyond the document published by the Welsh Government and to bring forward proposals for a renewed British-Irish Council along the lines of the Nordic Council? Of course, in the Nordic Council area there are devolved administrations, independent states—some inside the EU, some outside the EU—and questions of land borders. Are we not at the point now where we need to be looking beyond just the confines of the United Kingdom and to ensure that there is a functioning British-Irish Council with full involvement from the devolved administrations? Because, of course, the decisions that are made in Brussels between the UK and EU on the Irish specific questions will have enormous consequences for devolved fields, from agriculture to rural affairs and to the administrations of the ports, particularly at Holyhead. So, I’d be very interested to hear whether the Welsh Government plans to publish a similar document for proposals for a renewed British-Irish Council that would involve all of the nations of these islands, not just those of us who are currently members of the United Kingdom.

Finally, this National Assembly, not so long ago, voted in favour of the introduction of a continuation Bill in order to protect the Welsh constitution and to enshrine in Welsh law the protections and rights that we enjoy today. I’d be grateful if the First Minister could update the Assembly on progress in bringing forward such a Bill.