, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
I can't promise you the joy of regulations that Eluned was promising the Senedd yesterday, but there'll definitely be some commentary about the OBC to go through.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
The reason I think that would be unhelpful is you get into a running commentary, and you can set lots of hares running that may not be what then happens when you get the OBC. So getting the OBC I think will provide more certainty and clarity. And on your…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
I think we need to get to the OBC point, and then I think we will publish, saying—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Well, that depends on the model of business rates relief that then goes forward, and it also depends on the ability to meet the growth targets and the growth aspirations that will be set out. So, while I don't want to say, 'No, we have no idea, there's no…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
That's the point of having the outline business case, to get more clarity on what's proposed, how and why it allows you to test things, because you have a better understanding of what to do before you're delivering a significant project like this. If, for…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
I think so, but there is change that takes place in the economy and the picture they're dealing with. So, that's part of what they're dealing with. But the opportunities that exist are still going to be there. I want to talk about change in the economy—not…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
I'm a naturally positive person, Sam.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
All other things being equal, then yes.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Sorry. Outline—sorry.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
That's a discussion that we're having, about what will happen on business rate relief.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
It was part of the conversation. It was part of why it needed to be a joint initiative that both Governments could live with and agree. You'll recall, at the start of free ports, there were headline and megaphone statements made about, 'Wales will have it…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Well, we continue to have those discussions with the free-port consortia in both Holyhead and the Celtic free port in south-west Wales. I can't give a running commentary, because we have the full business case that is due to come to both Governments at about…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
It definitely has improved matters. Part of it is the tone. I have plenty to disagree about with Prime Minister Sunak, and I'm sure that will carry on, but actually the fact that he was prepared to have a conversation with the EU and not to make…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
This comes back to one of the fundamental challenges about leaving the European Union. If you want a soft border on the island of Ireland, then you've got to have arrangements in place for that to happen. And essentially, where Northern Ireland is, it's both…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Not fully. So, we've made—. From where we started, we have made progress on a definition of qualifying Northern Irish goods. The starting point would have essentially been that anything that travels through Northern Ireland is a qualifying good. So, you'd…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Yes, so, it'll be led with colleagues from the climate change and transport divisions, but we are looking at, and taking seriously, the report that this committee provided. So, having some welfare facilities at the BCP for those lorry drivers who will stop…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Yes, or if we get agreement and I can issue a written statement, then I'll do that as well, and we give notice to the committee when those go out as well. But I'm keen that we get agreement, and we can agree a date, and that will give certainty not just to…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
I'm more than happy to write. If there are things that I can say, then I'd like to do that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
As I said, in response to the questions from the Chair, I'm expecting us to be able to have a ministerial meeting within days or weeks, both with Lucy Neville-Rolfe and Mairi Gougeon from the Scottish Government.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Yes, it's part of the factor about our understanding of the costs, how it's done and where it's done. So, yes, all of those things will be part of our consideration. It also adds a complication because, potentially, the upfront cost could be different to…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
No, but we've got a conversation to have with the local authority and HMRC as well about what's working. So, I don't want to say, 'This is definitely going to be an arm's-length contract'. And of course, we do have contracts with people in the private sector…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
We're considering what the right model would be. There is a challenge, isn't there, for the Welsh Government to directly operate that. We don't currently have a bank of civil servants ready, willing and able to go out and run a facility directly, and all the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
Yes, it is one of the things that we are considering, because part of the challenge is the space, and then the facilities, and it is one of the challenges that actually makes the haulier industry difficult to recruit to. It isn't the wages, which are actually…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
No, when we introduce pre-notification, there'll be an issue for Cairnryan as well. So, it won't just be Wales. And it's the western seaboard, so it should affect Heysham as well, as well as our ports. It'll affect Cairnryan, and it should also matter to what…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel
In the dialogue we've had, all traders want some certainty, and they accept that the trading arrangements now mean there will be an extra cost. They're not looking to say that we need to cover that cost. On our conversation with the UK Government, there's…
