3. What is the First Minister's assessment of the current state of negotiations with the EU? OAQ(5)0589(FM)

‘Static’ I think is the word that I would use. There’s been a tremendous amount of posturing on both sides. I hope that comes to an end pretty soon so that the task of ensuring a sensible Brexit is taken forward.

I thank the First Minister for that response. Although the UK Treasury has guaranteed full funding for all European structural and investment projects that have started before the UK leaves the EU, does the First Minister agree that it’s absolutely crucial that after the UK leaves the EU the total sum of money that has been available in the past for these projects in Wales is added to the Welsh budget, and is under the control of the Welsh budget?

I do. First of all, we know that structural funds are guaranteed to 2020. Farming subsidies are guaranteed to 2020, but nothing beyond. At the moment, farmers face the scenario where they’ll have nothing at all in terms of support beyond that time. I have an easy answer, and that’s quite simply for the pot of money to be made available, as it is now, and for it to be distributed as it is now to provide the certainty that structural funds have provided so far, and particularly certainty for our farmers. That’s a good way of ensuring that farmers don’t have to suffer as a result of Brexit.

Although Jeremy Corbyn has joined the Conservatives in saying he wants Brexit to deliver a fairer society and an upgraded economy, we recognise there are tough negotiations ahead. How, therefore, do you respond to his statement that the issue of Brexit is settled?

In terms of the question, it is settled, because Britain is leaving the EU and that question has already been answered. What I don’t see, however, is any semblance of any kind of plan from the UK Government. Nothing. I’ve sat there in meetings and I’ve asked. I’ve tried to see what the plan is. There isn’t one. Last Thursday, we saw panic on the part of the Prime Minister when she started to worry about what Brexit would mean for ordinary working people and she’s right to be concerned about that. But you can’t say on the one hand that no deal is better than a bad deal and then say, ‘Oh, but, of course, we need a deal to make sure that we don’t see an economic downturn.’ Now, what’s hugely important is that the posturing of last week goes and that we have ideas as to what Brexit might look like. She was a remainer. Let’s not forget that. She is somebody, like me, who has accepted the result and it’s hugely important, for those who have ideas, to work together to take those ideas forward, because we’ve had nothing at all in terms of ideas from those who campaigned for Brexit.

Will the First Minister agree with me that the kind of language being used by the Prime Minister to attack our friends and neighbours on the continent helps nobody in terms of the negotiations that are to come? It doesn’t only tarnish Theresa May’s Government, but it also threatens to tarnish the reputation of Wales. The First Minister’s asking for ideas in going forward, to mitigate the potential of tarnishing Wales’s good name around the world because of that language being used by Theresa May. Will he commit to implement a new international policy for Wales that would include designating a member of his Cabinet as the external affairs Cabinet Secretary for our country, in order to start rebuilding the bridges that Westminster is so determined to burn down?

Last week’s language was undiplomatic. I think both sides, actually, were guilty of posturing and that needs to come to an end. This is not a war. Nobody has invaded anybody else. We’re not about to face each other, to stare at each other over the channel or, indeed, across the Irish border. We want to be friends and allies and trading partners at the end of the day. We’ve already started looking at our international policy, in particular where we need to beef up our international presence. We know we’ve been successful. The Qatar Airways flight is another example of where Welsh Government has been able to support the airport to get that route, but the next stage forward is for us to make sure that we look to having sufficient presence and an increased presence in those markets that will become important to us.