Not sharing post-Brexit plans was corrosive, says Welsh minister
- Published
The UK is due to leave the post-Brexit transition phase at the end of the year
Leaked documents saying some UK post-Brexit plans should not be shared with devolved governments are "corrosive" of trust, a Welsh minister has said.
A document from June says plans for UK ministers to assume control of state aid after the Brexit transition period should not be shared "at this stage".
Another document says assumptions of possible food supply disruption were also not shared.
UK ministers said they are working to make the whole UK ready.
The Welsh Government's Minister for European transition Jeremy Miles said: "Behaviour such as withholding information from devolved administrations in relation to the matter of preparedness, on a question so significant as this, is fundamentally corrosive of the relationship of trust of governments in the UK."
The documents, leaked to the Guido website, external, outline that state aid, control over subsidy support given to businesses, would be reserved as a UK government power through the UK Internal Market Bill.
This bill was published in early September but these plans, from June, include a line that this information "should not be shared publicly or with the devolved administrations at this stage".
Jeremy Miles has asked for an urgent meeting with the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove
An additional leaked document also refers to post-Brexit "planning assumptions" about possible "disruption" to food supplies.
It adds: "Food is a devolved policy area. We have not shared this assumption with DAs [devolved administrations] as per handling instructions."
The UK Government has said that devolved governments receive "all the reasonable worst case scenario planning assumptions" and that it is "crucial" to have a UK-wide approach to subsidies to "protect our internal market and to prevent harmful and distortive practices arising across our United Kingdom".
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Miles said "joint working has been possible" on Brexit preparations, "and has been effective, even if it has not at times been adequate".
"Where information is withheld, that causes Welsh Government to have to revisit our level of assurance around the arrangements that have been put in place," he said.
He said it was "particularly disappointing" that after meeting UK government ministers on Tuesday to discuss food supplies he then saw information on this topic "put in the public domain a matter of hours after".
Liz Saville Roberts: "All pretence that this is a union of equals has been blown out of the water"
Mr Miles has asked for an "urgent meeting" with the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove to "understand what's gone on here and what other information might be out there that we do not have access to" .
He added that the leak suggests "where there is a policy or political difference between the governments in the UK, we cannot rely on full information being made available".
Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville-Roberts said: "These leaked documents lay bare the cynical manipulation tactics of a rogue Westminster government scheming to keep Wales in the dark."
She added that UK Government was "intent on destroying any trust that remained between itself and the devolved governments" and "all pretence that this is a union of equals has been blown out of the water".
How do UK ministers respond to the criticism?
A UK Government spokesperson said: "We frequently engage with the devolved administrations on contingency planning for the end of the transition period.
"We have also shared all relevant planning assumptions with them, including the Reasonable Worst Case Scenario document on food supplies.
"With fewer than three months until the end of the transition period, we will continue to work constructively with the DAs to ensure the whole of the United Kingdom is ready for the changes ahead."