Oral Answers to Questions

John McNally Excerpts

Wednesday 18th July 2018 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP)]

1. What recent assessment he has made of the effect on the Welsh economy of the UK leaving the EU.

[Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the effect on the Welsh economy of the UK leaving the EU.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns)]

Wales approaches Brexit from a position of strength with a growing economy and falling unemployment, and our plan for Brexit will allow us to shape our own ambitious trade and investment opportunities, putting Wales and the wider UK at the forefront of global trade.

[John Mc Nally]

The Welsh Affairs Committee has now joined in the calls for the retention of membership of the single market and customs union to protect the agricultural sector, in which 80% of Welsh exports go to the EU. Will the Secretary of State confirm what representations he made to the Prime Minister ahead of the Chequers agreement for continued membership for the agricultural sector?

[Alun Cairns]

As the House would expect, I looked closely at that report, but of course the outcome that the hon. Gentleman suggests would mean that we could not honour the expectations of the British people following the referendum decision to leave the European Union; it would mean retaining free movement of people. The Chequers agreement protects the agricultural sector so that it has the opportunity to trade frictionlessly with the European Union.