13 March 2024 , Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
We're talking about competence at the moment—
13 March 2024 , Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Yes. I mean, as we understand it from the legal advice that we have received, there are two tests that apply to any legislation. The first is this issue of the purpose of the Bill. A Bill, of course, can have a number of different purposes, as I understand…
13 March 2024 , Plenary
Debate on the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee Report, 'Town Centre Regeneration'
I find myself agreeing a lot with what the Member says. One of the things that I think could be usefully done, in order to address some of these issues, is to reduce business rates in our town centres and high streets, increase them on out-of-town shopping…
12 March 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill
Yes, I can see that you're looking for a woman. I'm looking for other aspects of diversity that are missing from your benches, First Minister, which I'm sure you will accept you need to do better at in terms of some ethnic minority groups that are…
12 March 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip: Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill
Can I thank the Minister for the advance copy of today's statement and, indeed, the briefing that she held for me, with her officials, at the tail end of last week? I have to say, I'm very concerned that this Bill is being discussed in the Senedd today, and…
12 March 2024 , Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Can I call for two statements, please, Trefnydd? The first is in relation to the school attendance code, which I understand hasn't been updated now for over a decade. That code, of course, determines what is or what isn't an authorised absence in our…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 19: Transitional provision in the case that an extraordinary general election resulted in the 2026 ordinary general election not being held (Amendments 84, 87, 88)
I'm looking forward to the general election, Mike, particularly in Clwyd North. Particularly in Clwyd North. So, as far as I can see, applying the provisions of this Bill to elections that could be less than 16 months after Royal Assent would be unacceptable…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 19: Transitional provision in the case that an extraordinary general election resulted in the 2026 ordinary general election not being held (Amendments 84, 87, 88)
Absolutely.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 19: Transitional provision in the case that an extraordinary general election resulted in the 2026 ordinary general election not being held (Amendments 84, 87, 88)
Diolch, Llywydd. Yet again, we've got another set of amendments that have not been the subject of discussion or scrutiny by this Senedd that have been tabled by the Government this week. I don't know whether the Welsh Government is predicting that it's going…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 18: Power to set Senedd election campaign expenditure limits in connection with section 1 and Part 2 of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill (Amendments 81, 82, 83, 85, 86)
Diolch, Llywydd. These amendments are significant. They introduce a significant new section into the Bill in relation to campaign expenditure, which has not been subject to committee scrutiny. To bring them forward at such a late stage is wholly unacceptable…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Move.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I just thank the Minister for his acceptance of at least one of my amendments in this group? Just turning very briefly to Heledd Fychan's comments, I totally and completely support the need for a review of the funding mechanisms available…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 17: Review of operation of Act etc. after 2026 general election (Amendments 9, 10, 19, 116, 11, 12, 49, 53, 20, 50)
Diolch, Llywydd. I move amendments 9 and 20, both tabled in my name. When we were debating the amendments in group 7, I explained why it was inappropriate for any legislation in this Senedd to place a duty on future Members of the Senedd or Welsh Parliament…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
Someone said it was £350 million yesterday, you're now saying it's five-hundred and something million, but what I do know is that your party has made clear manifesto commitments to increase the number of apprentices, and you're actually reducing them. And…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
If I can make this point—[Interruption.] If I can make this point about the Conservatives being a party that is, somehow, against democracy, against the Welsh people and against the Senedd: that's not the case. I campaigned for further powers for this Senedd…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
Here we go, let's wind the clock back to Margaret Thatcher—that's the usual thing. Margaret Thatcher was the greatest Prime Minister in my lifetime. [Interruption.] She transformed our country into the modern nation it is today, and I'm proud to be a Member…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
I'll happily take it.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
Look, we are here to debate this call for a referendum—[Laughter.] We are here to discuss this call for a referendum. Can I go back to the contribution by the Member for Blaenau Gwent? He tells me, in a lecture, that I need to respect Welsh democracy, and…
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
Of course, of course.
6 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 16: Referendum on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (Amendments 36, 37)
And that commitment was made clear on the campaign trail, that what we would do is go back to first-past-the-post representation. Now, I maintain the position that the people of Wales want more doctors, dentists, nurses and teachers, not more politicians. If…
