13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, taking the last point, I think justification comes in any event in having to have that affirmative vote in the Senedd. The question whether it's two thirds or 50 per cent in order to achieve that—I think the two thirds comes on the decision by the…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Yes.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Personally, no, I don't think that that should be something that should happen. I think the role of the legislation and I think the views of the Senedd on this is, firstly, acceptance that there is a need to increase, there is a justification for having that…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, the analysis comes from the examination of the actual distribution of responsibilities that have been acquired by the Senedd over the years. And I think you need only look at the particular ministerial responsibilities that there are now, in particular…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Sorry. I beg your pardon?
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, firstly, it's a recommendation that has come from the special purpose committee that there should be that increase, and that increase has been recognised, and I think there's been considerable evidence of the need to do so. I think—
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
But of course, there is a history of this—it has happened. I remember the Llanelli constituency, which started off as 'Llanelly' with a 'y' and became accepted in its proper format of 'Llanelli' as it is now. I think, to be honest, there is a common purpose…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, I don't think you can have a view on that until you actually know what the names actually are. And we have to, I think, give respect to the commission and to the advice and to the engagement that they have as to the choice they make, and I think there…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, I think that the danger is that when you give the functions and the responsibilities to the commission in terms of the boundaries and so on, when it's their specific function, but then say to them, 'Well, it doesn't matter what your function is, because…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, I think the statutory requirement is a need to engage with and take account of, et cetera. I suppose there are two aspects to this. There’s obviously one that relates to the other Bill that’s coming. This is in relation to names and the possibility, for…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Listen, I think if the Senedd were to make suggestions that there were things that it was deeply unhappy with in terms of how the system had been operating, those would have to be taken into account. It depends what they are, what the format would be, what…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
I think the accountability to the Senedd, ultimately, comes to the reporting under the 2013 regulations of the work that it has actually done. The fact that there is, under this statute and, indeed, the other electoral reform statute that's coming through—all…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
The commission has a number of functions. Some of them are clearly ones that engage Welsh Government Ministers, others are in terms of the broader accountability, in terms of how it is functioning, how it has operated and the broader work that it has done. As…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Yes.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Look, if there was a recommendation from the committee, because I've always said all along that this is a Senedd Bill, then consideration will have to be given to that. I think it would have to be a very, very strong recommendation that was very backed up by…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
I mean, listen, there are valid views as to how you would form that and, of course, one of the considerations are, 'Do we create two statutory bodies or do we create one statutory body?' I think at the stage we're at, having the one statutory body but with…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
The first thing is that the commission, the importance of its independence is important. The importance of the public appointments process is really important and there is a code of practice—I think a very robust process in respect of public appointments…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, if you take the existing numbers, so the numbers you say would increase—the commission would increase—from five to nine, if you take the additional responsibilities that there are and workload that there is, even nine comes below the combination of the…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, it depends. It may result in change, it may not. It depends on the criteria, but the criteria that we've set just gives them the flexibility to take that into account.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, obviously, it won't have any impact in terms of the Westminster parliamentary boundaries. We know that the Electoral Commission has told us that there are 400,000 people who should be on the register who aren't on the register. Of course, the other…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Ten per cent is, really, just to give that additional flexibility, certainly for the first time when there is a review of boundaries after the 2026 election. The 2026 elections are tied to a process that was conducted in respect of the parliamentary…
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
No.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
No.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
Well, Ynys Môn isn't—. It was in this process, it has always been treated as a special case both at the parliamentary elections and within these as well, but of course it will be paired as well. But the broader criteria will still apply.
13 Rhagfyr 2023 , Reform Bill Committee
Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda’r Gweinidog
No, because I think what you're then doing is tying the hands of the democracy and boundary commission from actually doing its function and what the various criteria are set when it comes to trying to create the paired constituencies for future elections. It…
