Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the potential for a Welsh independence referendum; and what steps he has taken to promote the Union.

I have had no discussions with the Welsh Government on a Welsh independence referendum.

The value to Wales of being part of a strong United Kingdom has been clearly demonstrated by the UK Government’s actions during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have safeguarded Welsh jobs through employment support schemes like the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and reduced transmission of Covid-19 through the successful rollout of the vaccine programme.

We have protected Welsh jobs and businesses by ensuring trade continues to flow freely throughout the United Kingdom by virtue of the UK Internal Market Act 2020, and our programme of City and Growth Deals together with our local growth funds are helping to level up communities across the UK.

Furthermore, the Government is progressing our ambitious plans to establish Freeports across the UK and, under the Union Connectivity Review, boost transport links between the nations of the UK.