, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: evidence session
You make a fair point and you make it very powerfully, and I agree with it, as it happens. But when it comes to this committee and other committees scrutinising the Bill as it currently stands, when so many regulations come after that, and powers for…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: evidence session
But without the scrutiny, that's what we're talking about here.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: evidence session
And that's the question I have. If we look at section 23(9), that creates a power, if I understand it correctly, to make amendments through regulations, not by legislating. So, you're changing legislation created by the Senedd through an order, through the…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: evidence session
Thank you very much. I just want to look at the balance of powers that exist and are created in the Bill. I think that there are over 30 new powers being created for Ministers as part of the Bill, and I'm keen to understand whether the Minister is confident…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: evidence session
I thought perhaps that Bethan wanted to add something.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
I understand that, but that's where we were in 1999.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Nobody's arguing about that, and I don't want to carry on, because I know time is short, but the issue is, Deputy First Minister, that we've got a legislature just across the corridor there to do all of those different things, and, as you well know, when…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Politically, you should know that of me. And I think leaping on an opportunity to achieve an objective is something that I have no issue with, and there's clearly going to be more commonality of interest between a UK Labour Government and a Welsh Labour…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Yes. Look, I've no issue with opportunism, by the way. [Laughter.]
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
But the LCM says something different, and that's my issue.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Can I return to your original arguments? I accept what you're saying, but I think we also need to accept that this is not an act of God, but this is an act of Ministers taking decisions to do exactly what you're suggesting they've done. But you seem to be…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Yes, of course.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
I've got no issue with that and we've both heard Ministers making that argument on numerous occasions. I accept that completely. But I'm uncomfortable with the decision you've taken on this, if I'm quite honest, because I'm not convinced—I was going to say…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Water (Special Measures) Bill: evidence session
Yes, poacher turned gamekeeper was exactly what was going through my mind on reading the LCM, I have to say. I think your argument would be stronger, Minister, had Welsh Ministers previously been making these points. Now, I don't remember either you or other…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
Okay. I'm grateful to you for that. Thank you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
That's interesting.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
Yes, €134 million compared with what we have here in Wales.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
But they, of course—. I’m looking at colleagues again to correct me if I get my numbers wrong, but the funding for the Arts Council of Ireland was €134 million.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
Yes, we were in Dublin a couple of weeks ago.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
—Tony Blair idea of health spending.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
That's a very good way of putting it, actually. It's like the—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
Okay, time is against us. I appreciate what is being said by all our witnesses. This is a difficult question, which I’m going to frame quite badly, I think: at what level do you think we should be funding the arts? And I don’t want you just to pick numbers…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
Okay.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
We do. We've got an arts and culture deputy Minister. I don't—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with culture bodies (6)
But that's my point, you see—that's my point. We tick the boxes—and I've never heard a Minister in the Welsh Government not talk about culture at some point; I've done it myself—but when it comes to voting on the budget, which is the real declaration of a…
