Wednesday Volume 655 27 February 2019 No. 260 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 27 February 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 315 27 FEBRUARY 2019 316 Albert Owen (Ynys Môn) (Lab): I join the Minister in House of Commons congratulating the Welsh rugby team on their excellent victory. They are on course for the grand slam this year. Wednesday 27 February 2019 The Minister will be aware that REHAU plastics in my constituency, which has traded internationally for more than 40 years, has announced its closure. It will now The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock concentrate its business on the European mainland. Will his Department work with the Welsh Government, myself and local government to try to retain those PRAYERS important trading jobs? They are international jobs, and we need them on Anglesey. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Nigel Adams: Absolutely. I have a sneaking feeling that rugby might be a running theme throughout these questions. We recognise the importance of REHAU as Oral Answers to Questions an employer in the region and on Anglesey, and we will work closely with the hon. Gentleman and with the company to achieve the best possible outcome, most importantly for the important staff who work there. WALES Mr David Jones (Clwyd West) (Con): There are many excellent international trading companies in north Wales, The Secretary of State was asked— but in order to continue to thrive they need access to the International Trading Opportunities most modern digital infrastructure. What discussions is my hon. Friend having with the North Wales Economic Ambition Board to ensure that growth deal funding is 1. Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) targeted towards improving digital connectivity? (Con): What recent steps he has taken to promote international trading opportunities for Wales. [909422] Nigel Adams: My right hon. Friend is indeed a great champion of north Wales. I recently met that board to The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales discuss its progress in finalising its proposition to utilise (Nigel Adams): I start by congratulating coach Warren the £120 million that we and the Welsh Government Gatland and captain Alun Wyn Jones on their most each allocated to the deal. Digital infra- magnificent victory in Cardiff on Saturday. Speaking as structure is currently an underpinning project, but we a proud Englishman, it was a joy to watch the game. have set the region a challenge to go even further and to There is no better way to kick off Wales Week in be even more ambitious about what the project can London, in which we champion and celebrate everything achieve for the region by working closely with a range that is great about Wales, including its rugby team. of partners, including the private sector. The Wales Office works closely with the Department for International Trade on promoting Wales’s trading Several hon. Members rose— opportunities. From trade missions to his work with trade commissioners and sitting on the Board of Trade, Mr Speaker: Short questions and short answers, please. my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State works continually to create potential both for Welsh exports and for foreign direct investment projects to come to Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) (Lab): Jim Callaghan, a Wales. Labour Prime Minister, brought thousands of jobs to Ford in south Wales. Why is a Tory Prime Minister Mr Jayawardena: I associate myself with my hon. taking those jobs away? Friend’s remarks, although I preferred the first half. Many people will have used the M4 this weekend. Nigel Adams: I politely remind the right hon. Lady Given the M4’s potential for promoting international that we have record employment in Wales. Tough trade in Wales, and indeed in the rest of the country, commercial decisions have been made in recent months, will my hon. Friend tell me what progress has been particularly by Hitachi. However, I point to the good made towards honouring the commitment from the economic news in Wales, particularly the record job 1960s to build the M31 from Reading down to Gatwick numbers. Airport, via the M3? Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab): Dydd Gwˆyl Dewi Nigel Adams: I know that my hon. Friend is a great hapus for Friday, Mr Speaker. I pay my good wishes to champion for that project, and rightly so. He is right to Sam on the sad loss of Paul Flynn. This is the first raise this important issue. The Department for Transport chance I have had to do that. He was a great man. He recognises the importance of cross-border connectivity. actually stood in my constituency in 1974. It has been gathering evidence to inform the second In January, Dyson announced the relocation of its road investment strategy—RIS2—which will govern HQ to Singapore, Hitachi ended its interest in Wylfa investment in England’s motorways and major A roads and Airbus said it was prepared to leave Wales in the between 2020 and 2025. Economic growth is one of event of a no-deal Brexit. The Government’s handling RIS2’s five stated key aims and will play a part in the of Brexit has been described as a “disgrace” by Airbus’s appraisal of schemes. It will be published in 2019. Tom Enders and a “state of total confusion” by tycoon 317 Oral Answers 27 FEBRUARY 2019 Oral Answers 318 Sir Martin Sorrell. What message does that send to disappointed that the same privilege and opportunity international investors and traders about trading has not been extended to the UK Government to sit on opportunities in Wales? the Welsh Government’s similar committee. Nigel Adams: If I might politely say so, the hon. Christina Rees: I thank the Secretary of State for his Gentleman is being a little selective with his examples. I answer,but does he understand that if the UK Government would point him to the employment figures. The real negotiate free trade agreements, for example with the figures show that foreign direct investment last year USA, which force hormone-injected beef and chlorinated created 3,107 new Welsh jobs, which is a 20% increase. I chicken on the people of Wales without the legislative understand why he might want to paint a gloomy consent of the elected Welsh Government, that will picture. Airbus has made it perfectly clear that it does trigger a major constitutional crisis? Is he prepared to not want no deal. It wants a deal, and the best thing risk that? that he and his party could do is support the deal when it comes before the House. Alun Cairns: First, I do not accept the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill: Legislative Consent question, but the hon. Lady raises an important point. We will, of course, continue our warm, constructive and 2. Angela Crawley (Lanark and Hamilton East) (SNP): positive engagement with all the devolved Administrations. What steps he is taking to secure the legislative consent Our work with the Welsh Government on leaving the of the National Assembly for Wales for the European European Union has proved fruitful so far. We have laid Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. [909423] 120 statutory instruments on behalf of the Welsh Government and at their request. In terms of future The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns): This trade agreements, we will continue to work with them is the first Welsh questions since the sad passing of our constructively in the interests of the whole of the UK. friend and colleague, Paul Flynn. He leaves a significant Clearly, my interests and their interests will be to defend space on the Labour Back Benches. the Welsh interest. I plan to continue to work with them on that positive basis. The Government are engaging extensively with the Welsh Government in preparing the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. This includes bilateral Leaving the EU: Economic Support engagement and meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committees. 3. Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP): What recent discussions he has had with the Angela Crawley: The National Assembly for Wales Welsh Government on sector-specific plans to support backed the Plaid Cymru motion calling for work to the Welsh economy in the event that the UK leaves the begin immediately on preparing for a public vote. A EU without a deal. [909424] recent poll by YouGov also found that more Welsh voters back a people’s vote than do not. If the Secretary 8. Douglas Chapman (Dunfermline and West Fife) of State is truly Wales’s voice in Westminster, as he so (SNP): What recent discussions he has had with the boldly claims, will he outline the preparations he has Welsh Government on sector-specific plans to support pressed the Prime Minister for to facilitate a people’s the Welsh economy in the event that the UK leaves the vote? EU without a deal. [909430] Alun Cairns: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her question, but I would politely point out to her that The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns): I Wales voted to leave the European Union in even stronger meet my counterparts in the Welsh Government on a numbers than the rest of the UK. We have an obligation regular basis, including Baroness Eluned Morgan on to act on the instruction that comes from that referendum, Monday, to discuss a range of policy areas. A responsible but in doing so we will continue to work closely with the Government prepare for every eventuality, including no Welsh Government to ensure and secure a smooth and deal, and we continue to work together on operational orderly exit.