MINISTERS from devolved nations have aired concerns that Brexit represents a threat to the powers of the devolved administrations on environmental policy.
Roseanna Cunningham and her Welsh counterpart Lesley Griffiths met on Thursday, August 17.
Ms Cunningham, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, said: “My message has been clear and consistent – the Scottish Government will steadfastly adhere to its environmental commitments, despite the growing threat of a hard Brexit. That is why we are joining our Welsh counterparts to urge the UK Government to ditch this ill-conceived power grab.
“Imposing a UK-wide framework for the environment risks undermining the significant progress Scotland has made, which has seen us win international recognition for our work on climate change and the circular economy.
“We are not opposed in principle to UK-wide frameworks in certain areas but this must be through agreement – not imposition.
“Protecting devolution will allow us to drive forward our ambitious work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance environmental standards and create a cleaner, greener Scotland for everyone.”
On Thursday, Welsh Rural Affairs Secretary Ms Griffiths said she shared Ms Cunningham’s concerns. Ahead of the meeting in Cardiff she said, “Devolution has enabled the Welsh Government to deliver ground-breaking legislation for the people of Wales, which delivers on international obligations and has been recognised as cutting-edge by a number of international institutions. The approach presented by the UK Government in the Withdrawal Bill could significantly undermine this progress.
“Our approach has not been about trading off agriculture and the environment, it’s about both. You can’t have one without the other. The Bill as it stands has the potential to seriously impact on this approach by locking us into an outdated framework while also removing our ability to bring forward reforms.”
Speaking after meeting with his SNP counterpart, Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Simon Thomas, Mid and West AM added: “We’ve had 20 years decision making on agriculture from Wales and the people of Wales resoundingly endorsed that in the 2011 referendum on the powers of the Assembly. We cannot now allow unrepresentative Tories like Michael Gove shape the future of Welsh farming.
“Plaid Cymru will not allow the European Union Withdrawal Bill to tighten London’s grip on Wales.”
However, Welsh Conservatives have suggested that devolved administrations ought to trust the Westminster Government to do the best for them.
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Europe, Mark Isherwood said: “The UK Government’s Brexit strategy is guided by a simple principle, to secure the deal that delivers the greatest economic advantage to the UK.
“This is a conversation that will be ongoing throughout the summer, and I would hope that a positive and constructive response from the Welsh Government will be forthcoming, alongside movement from the UK Government on common agreed UK-wide frameworks that respect the devolution settlement and provide a foundation for a future free trade agreement with the EU.”
