THE Brexit Bill is “a fundamental assault on devolution”, first minister Carwyn Jones has said.

Speaking as the UK Government's EU Withdrawal Bill returned to Parliament earlier today, the first minister said time is running out to come to a cross-government agreement around the issue.

Mr Jones has previously claimed clause 11 of the bill as it currently stands will result in powers over devolved areas such as the environment currently held by Europe to be handed back to Westminster once the UK leaves the EU, rather than straight to the relevant devolved governments.

In a statement issued this morning the first minister said: "The bill as it currently stands represents a fundamental assault on devolution.

"It would replace current constraints on the National Assembly’s legislative competence, which will fall away as a consequence of the UK leaving the European Union, with a new set of constraints in devolved competences that would be controlled by the UK Government.

"We have consistently said there is no prospect of the Welsh Government recommending consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill as it is currently drafted."

Mr Jones said it was "a matter of considerable regret" that amendments suggested by the Welsh and Scottish Governments had not been included in its latest draft.

"We published a series of amendments jointly with the Scottish Government, which, had they been accepted by the UK Government during the bill’s amending stages in the House of Commons, would have allowed us to recommend the National Assembly consents to the bill," he said.

"We continue to discuss with the UK Government the ways in which the bill might be amended as it continues its passage through the Houses of Parliament – particularly in respect of clause 11 – to make sure that it is both fit for purpose as the UK prepares to leave the European Union and respects devolution in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland."

The Welsh Government is required to pass a Legislative Consent Motion before Parliament is able to pass legislation on a devolved area. But this is not legally binding, and the UK Government can continue as it wishes even if no such motion is passed.

Mr Jones said working jointly and passing a legislative consent motion remained the Welsh Government's "preferred course of action". But he added his government has also been developing a continuity bill which would keep EU legislation in force in Wales, which it would put in force if negotiations around the Brexit Bill were not satisfactory. He said it would be submitted to presiding officer Elin Jones before the end of this month.

But South Wales East AM Steffan Lewis, who is also Plaid Cymru's Brexit spokesman, urged the first minister to go a step further and introduce the continuity bill as soon as possible.

"It was immediately clear the (Brexit) bill is an unacceptable power-grab and that we must do everything possible to resist," he said.

"A vote to leave the EU was not a vote to reverse the two referenda in which the Welsh people voted for devolution."