The UK Government is clear that the proposed approach is temporary. The re-routing of supply lines is therefore unlikely. Diverting goods through the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland solely to avoid tariffs and tariff rate quotas would be unlawful.

In a no-deal scenario, we are committed to entering into discussions urgently with the European Commission and the Irish Government to jointly agree long-term measures to avoid a hard border.

The temporary tariff regime is a balanced tariff policy which aims to minimise costs to business and mitigate price impacts on consumers. The UK Government has informally consulted with businesses and business representatives during the development of this policy. This tariff is a temporary policy that will apply for up to 12 months, at the end of which the UK Government will introduce a long-term tariff regime.

We do not want or expect a no deal scenario. It is however the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for a range of potential outcomes including the unlikely event of no deal.

We have now published 106 specific technical notices, including on transport, trading with the EU, and the Common Travel Area, to help businesses, citizens and consumers to prepare for March 2019 in the event of a no deal scenario. These are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/how-to-prepare-if-the-uk-leaves-the-eu-with-no-deal

Officials in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales and colleagues across Government meet regularly with port authorities and other maritime stakeholders in Wales to support the smooth and orderly implementation of any new arrangements required as a result of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Wales Office Ministers frequently visit ports in Wales including Holyhead, Port of Milford Haven, and Pembroke Dock. UK Government officials are in contact with port operators, key stakeholders, and the Welsh Government, to discuss issues including free-flowing traffic in Wales once the UK has left the EU.

The Wales Office, along with other Government departments, continues to work with port operators, key stakeholders, and the Welsh Government, to ensure that traffic continues to flow freely at ports and airports in Wales once the UK has left the EU.

UK Government Officials (including officials from my department) continue to meet with officials from the Welsh Government to discuss the implications of EU Exit on Welsh Ports.

The Government is committed to ensuring that withdrawal from the EU is a successful and smooth process for all parts of the UK.

As the Prime Minister reiterated in her Mansion House speech, a fundamental principle of our negotiations with the European Commission is that the UK-EU border should be as frictionless as possible.

Since the vote to leave the EU I, as well as a number of ministerial colleagues, have visited ports in Wales to discuss a number of issues, including their operational readiness for our leaving the European Union.

The Government is committed to ensuring that withdrawal from the EU is a successful and smooth process for all parts of the UK, and we are conscious that a significant proportion of the traffic at some ports is not currently subject to customs controls. We want to ensure that traffic continues to flow freely at all UK ports and airports, including Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock, and we will seek to ensure that customs arrangements and mechanisms are as frictionless as possible, and that trade fluidity is maintained. Officials in the Wales Office and colleagues across Government are working with port operators and other stakeholders in Wales to support the smooth and orderly implementation of these new arrangements.

Data on the number of sea passenger journeys between Wales and the Republic of Ireland is published in the UK international sea passengers dataset in tables SPAS0108 and SPAS0102. The figures are summarised below:

For freight, the published statistics relate to tonnage and units moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland (rather than freight journeys), with detailed figures available in table Port0499 of the UK international sea passengers dataset. The figures for units and tonnage moved between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland for every year between 2010 and 2016 are summarised below.

Please note that units include passenger vehicles.

We are confident that a future partnership between the UK and EU is in the interests of both sides, so we approach the negotiations anticipating success. We do not want or expect a no deal outcome. However, a responsible Government should prepare for all potential outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached, and that is exactly what we are doing across the whole of government.

Plans are well developed and have been designed to provide the flexibility to respond to a negotiated agreement, as well as preparing us for the unlikely eventuality of leaving without a deal. That’s why we are working with businesses across the economy, including ports in Wales, to provide the certainty they need to understand the challenges and opportunities they may face in the coming months and years.

Since the vote to leave the EU I, as well as a number of ministerial colleagues, have visited ports in Wales to discuss a number of issues, including their operational readiness for our leaving the European Union.

The Government is committed to ensuring that withdrawal from the EU is a successful and smooth process for all parts of the UK, and we are conscious that a significant proportion of the traffic at some ports is not currently subject to customs controls. We want to ensure that traffic continues to flow freely at all UK ports and airports, including Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock, and we will seek to ensure that customs arrangements and mechanisms are as frictionless as possible, and that trade fluidity is maintained. Officials in the Wales Office and colleagues across Government are working with port operators and other stakeholders in Wales to support the smooth and orderly implementation of these new arrangements.