1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
And just one final question from me, and this is on the issue of non-domestic, business rates. So, obviously, one thing that the Government could consider doing in order to give current local authorities within our current structures greater responsibility…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Okay, I'm just interested.
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
But you're not ruling that out?
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
I'm just interested.
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
So, nice mood music. Can I ask you, then? Just turning to Wales and your approach in Wales, you've spoken avidly, before your election to the Senedd, before the publication of this particular statement in July, about your own personal passion for devolution…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
And just in terms of the engagement with the UK Government since, because there were some small references to Wales and what might happen for the Welsh Government to pick up, what has that engagement been like?
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Since the publication in July, there's been a better understanding, if we can put it that way, that Wales and Scotland are rather different from the devolution settlements in England—
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
It was a well-developed document, though, wasn't it, issued by the Cabinet Office. You'd expect the Cabinet Office to understand the devolution settlement, wouldn't you, across the United Kingdom. You say there's lots of positive discussion and interface…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
The noises that Mr Burnham was making as Prime Minister gave me the impression he didn't really understand the devolution settlement in Wales, that he thought it was a bit of a mayoralty, to be honest, rather than a country with its own Parliament. Is that…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Just on the structure point, if I can, the big problem with the regional structures that we've currently got is the perceived democratic deficit of those structures making decisions, sometimes against the will of local authorities, which contribute to those…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
I appreciate the clarity, and can I just check in terms of your understanding of the current UK Government's position on Thomas? Because, obviously, the previous one didn't even respond to the Thomas commission; it didn't recognise it, effectively, as a valid…
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
And just to be clear: so you accept his assessment, Dr Jones's assessment, of what is within the competence of the Welsh Government, and what isn't. Because he's not a lawyer, is he? He's not a legal expert, as I understand it.
1 October 2026 , Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
So, just to clarify, you accept all of the recommendations of the Thomas commission, do you?
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
I've sat here and obviously listened to your contribution for six and a half minutes. Can you just answer the questions about how long this pause in investment is going to take? If I accept what you're saying, and I do accept what you're saying, that you want…
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
Will you give way?
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
Will you take an intervention?
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
And my message and our message as a Senedd to those individuals, those workers, in those industries today should be very straightforward. It should be that we value what you do. We will champion your role in our defence and security as a nation, and we value…
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The defence sector
Diolch, Lywydd. I move the motion on the order paper in the name of my colleague, Paul Davies. Those of us who remember the cold war remember living under the shadow of a potential nuclear conflict. I can vividly remember being glued to the telly as we…
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Default 20 mph speed limit
There's a thing called an opportunity cost: when you spend money on one thing, it means you're not spending money on another. If you accept that there are economic costs of the 20 mph default speed limit to the Welsh economy, and if you accept that the Welsh…
30 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Default 20 mph speed limit
Will you accept an intervention?
29 September 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Diolch. Just a couple of questions, if I may. Can I thank you for your statement today? I fully appreciate the ambition that the Welsh Government's got to make sure that all of the centres that we have meet the Bliss standards. One of the challenges we have…
29 September 2026 , Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Can I call for two statements today, please, Trefnydd? The first is from the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care in relation to Martha's law. As you will know, following the tragic death of Martha Mills, a 13-year-old in England who died of sepsis in 2021…
29 September 2026 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
First Minister, before the last election to the Senedd, you told the people of Wales that the election was not going to be about independence. Yet since that election, you have done everything to make this Senedd about the issue of independence. You either…
29 September 2026 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Diolch, Lywydd. First Minister, I hope you enjoyed your visit to Aberystwyth over the weekend. How do you feel to have recruited Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to your campaign to break up the United Kingdom? As you know, he's been gleefully speaking…
22 September 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
It's always interesting watching a messy divorce—[Laughter.]—and, my goodness, has it been an untidy one. Can I thank you, First Minister, for advance notice of your statement, although not quite as in advance as the Western Mail's notice of your statement…
