Finance Secretary discusses EU withdrawal with UK and Scottish Brexit Ministers at latest meeting of European Joint Ministerial Committee

Professor Drakeford will meet with David Lidington, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Mike Russell, Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe to discuss the UK’s Brexit Bill which as currently drafted, would allow the UK government to take control of devolved policy areas.

The meeting follows this week’s vote by the National Assembly to press ahead with the Welsh Government’s Continuity Bill as a fall back option which would provide legal certainty for businesses and individuals in Wales while safeguarding devolution.

Mark Drakeford said:

“Our concerns about the UK government’s EU Withdrawal Bill remain. As currently drafted, it allows Whitehall to take control of devolved policy areas, such as farming and fishing, once we have left the EU.

“We urgently need to reach an agreement that protects devolution and we believe this can be achieved through the right amendments and that is why we continue to talk to the UK government on this issue.

“However, the clock is ticking and the parliamentary timetable is against us. It is vital that an agreement on our devolution settlement post-Brexit is achieved as soon as possible.”