5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 13: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: appointment and disqualification of members, chief executive and assistant commissioners (Amendments 5, 6, 7, 8, 70, 41, 42, 71, 43, 72, 44, 45, 46, 73, 47, 48, 74)
Diolch, Llywydd. I move amendments 5, 6, 7, 8, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, and just to prove I can count, 48, all of which have been tabled in my name. These amendments seek to improve the provisions of the Bill for the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 11: Recall of Members of the Senedd (Amendments 124, 125)
Can I thank both Members who have spoken in this debate for their support, in principle, for a recall mechanism? I think it is important that we build one into our legislative programme here in the Senedd, and, obviously, I'm quite happy to see what the…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 11: Recall of Members of the Senedd (Amendments 124, 125)
Diolch, Llywydd. I move amendments 124 and 125 tabled in my name. One of the things that all Members on all sides of this Chamber have suggested should be incorporated into this Bill is provision for a system of recall for Members of the Senedd. Systems of…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 9: Vacant seats that cannot be filled in accordance with new section 11 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (to be inserted by section 9 of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill) (Amendments 29, 30, 33, 34, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123)
Can I just put to you a scenario whereby there could be a situation where—I don't know—a party conference could be the target of a terrorist attack? This Chamber could be the target of a terrorist attack. If there are, therefore, a number of casualties…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 9: Vacant seats that cannot be filled in accordance with new section 11 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (to be inserted by section 9 of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill) (Amendments 29, 30, 33, 34, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123)
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I rise to speak in support of all of the amendments in this group. The Reform Bill Committee made a clear recommendation that the Member in charge should bring forward amendments to ensure that vacancies arising between elections…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
I move.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
I appreciate that, but he obviously doesn't know because he hasn't given us the answer. So, I'm asking the person who did the deal with the former leader of Plaid Cymru to answer on his behalf, because, clearly, the Counsel General does not know. We've asked…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
There is significant change, I'll give you that. Whether they're better or not, I think the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. They may not throw up a more proportional result. You hope that they will, but that may not be the case, according to the…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
You've just voted for the Welsh Government's budget, for goodness' sake. You've facilitated—[Interruption.] You've facilitated—as you have done for many years now—yet another dreadful Welsh Government budget that's going to have a devastating impact across…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
So, I've not argued to keep first-past-the-post; I'm arguing to try and make this new Senedd reform system better, to improve it. That's what we said we were going to do at the very start of this process, recognising the arithmetic in this Senedd and the fact…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
Diolch, Llywydd. It's a shame that the Government is not supporting this proposal to shift to a flexible list system. Nobody is arguing in favour of—. We're not trying to change this system back to a first-past-the-post system; we're accepting it's going to…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
So, this is not about a compromise between STV and closed lists. You're being asked to consider a better list system, which will give you all the benefits of closed lists, while still maintaining some of those benefits of first-past-the-post, where people can…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
One of the elements of this Bill that has been heavily criticised, and rightly so, is the shift to a voting system that will see 100 per cent of seats in the Senedd elected by a closed list voting system. It's a system that amounts, frankly, to a power grab…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 8: Voting system at Senedd general elections and allocation of seats (Amendments 21, 51, 22, 23, 117, 31, 32)
Diolch, Llywydd. I rise to speak to and move amendments 21, 22 and 23, tabled in my name, and also to support amendments 31, 32 and 51, tabled in the name of Jane Dodds.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 7: Review of possible job sharing of offices relating to the Senedd (Amendments 4, 62, 63)
Thank you for the lecture on these matters. I was simply making the point that, for me, I'm not anti job sharing—[Interruption.] I'm not anti job sharing. You obviously haven't been listening to my contribution in the debate. I simply think that there are…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 7: Review of possible job sharing of offices relating to the Senedd (Amendments 4, 62, 63)
I've got my views about job sharing and I've made them clear in the past. I've said that my own personal view—I haven't canvassed every single person on the Conservative benches—is that I think it would be very difficult in practice to have a job-sharing…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 7: Review of possible job sharing of offices relating to the Senedd (Amendments 4, 62, 63)
Thank you, Presiding Officer. The purpose of my amendment 4 was not to discuss the merits, or otherwise, of job sharing, which, it appears to me, is what you wanted to do, Heledd Fychan. It was because of the unusual way in which this Bill will instruct a…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 7: Review of possible job sharing of offices relating to the Senedd (Amendments 4, 62, 63)
Diolch, Llywydd. I move amendment 4, tabled in my name. Section 7 of this Bill requires a motion to be tabled within six months after the 2026 Senedd election by the Presiding Officer. And that motion must propose the establishment of a Senedd committee for…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 6: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons convicted of the offence of deception within the previous five years (Amendment 126)
At the moment, making false statements about the personal character of a candidate in an election campaign is already illegal, and those found doing so can be charged with election fraud, but there isn't a wider possibility of being charged with election…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 6: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons convicted of the offence of deception within the previous five years (Amendment 126)
That is actually a promise that has been fulfilled, everybody. [Interruption.] You can do a fact check, if you like. It's a statement of fact. It's a statement of fact. Now, at the moment, making false statements in an election campaign—[Interruption.]
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 6: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons convicted of the offence of deception within the previous five years (Amendment 126)
Diolch, Llywydd. Llywydd, I have a lot of sympathy with what's just been said by the Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr. I share with him the concern about political discourse in recent years and the falsehoods—blatant falsehoods, it appears to me—that…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 5: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons not registered in electoral register at an address in Wales (Amendments 57, 38, 39, 40)
Withdrawn.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 5: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons not registered in electoral register at an address in Wales (Amendments 57, 38, 39, 40)
I move.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 5: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons not registered in electoral register at an address in Wales (Amendments 57, 38, 39, 40)
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I just say that I completely appreciate the point that was made about the fact that you're either on or not on the register and therefore that's a clear test that could be applied in respect of residency? But we all know that there are…
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 5: Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd or a candidate: persons not registered in electoral register at an address in Wales (Amendments 57, 38, 39, 40)
Yes, we do have a right, but there's no requirement for that to be given to Members of the Senedd. There's no absolute requirement or duty each time an amendment is made to that register for it to be furnished to Members. The 21-day grace period is therefore…
