Wales 'wins' in EU says Stephen Crabb

Mr Crabb said being a member of the European Union is a 'huge strategic advantage'

Welsh business are "huge winners" from being part of the European Union, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said.

Speaking to the Wales Report with Huw Edwards, the minister said he wanted to make the case for Britain to remain part of the EU.

The UK government wants to renegotiate aspects of Britain's membership, and then hold a referendum.

"Being a member of the European Union is a huge strategic advantage," Mr Crabb said.

"The big prize we're talking about is, of course, access to the single market, and British business and Welsh business is a huge winner from that.

"We do need to have a debate in Wales and there will be a referendum... there are some big discussions to be had.

"But I'm clear that we want to go into that referendum, on the back of a successful renegotiation, where we have delivered a reformed relationship between the UK and the EU... arguing the case for Britain to stay in the EU."

New powers

Mr Crabb said he saw "no strong reason" to depart from the proposed timetable of holding the referendum in 2017 despite calls to hold it next year.

He also said the planned Wales Bill - which will hand a series of new powers to the Welsh government - would be published in draft form in the autumn, with the legislation itself following in the new year.

"I'll be absolutely honest; the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the election campaign talked about Welsh legislation in the first 100 days (of a new government)," Mr Crabb said.

"It was always clear to me that 100 days would be too ambitious; we will have the announcement of new legislation within 100 days, but the legislation itself won't appear for a number of months yet."

He conceded some Conservatives would be wary of calls - made by the UK government - for the Welsh government to take control of some income taxes.

"There may well be lots of Conservatives who fear the consequences of a Labour-run Welsh Assembly Government taking on tax-raising powers," he said.

"That's the nature of devolution. The people of Wales voted very strongly for the assembly to have full law-making powers - they have asked for it to become effectively a parliament.

"Any parliament around the world has at least a measure of responsibility for raising some of the money that it spends, and so should the Welsh assembly in future."

The Wales Report, BBC1 Wales 22:40 BST.