Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral Answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales of 16 September 2020, Official Report, column 298, on the Future Relationship with EU, if he will list the occasions on which he has discussed preparations for the end of the UK-EU transition period with Welsh Ministers since 1 January 2020.

The UK Government has regular discussions with Welsh Ministers on preparations for the end of the Transition Period. The main ministerial forum for discussing preparedness is the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) which has met on five occasions this year. Preparedness is also discussed at quadrilateral meetings with Ministers from the Devolved Administrations chaired by my Rt hon Friend, the Paymaster General.

The UK Government has extensive, constant and wide-ranging engagement with the Welsh Government. This includes discussions on our Covid-19 response, and areas of joint work between our governments such as on city and growth deals, as well as preparations for the end of the Transition Period. Discussions are constructive and their frequency will increase further as we approach the end of the year.