, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Well—
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
But the point is that the Counsel General is here to serve the Senedd, right? And, with respect to my friend, whatever the political view is, I think it makes good sense to liaise with all Members of the Senedd in order to take their views on board in early…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Well, Mr Mason, I'm not so much of a political animal anymore.
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
May I add, Mr Thomas, that's a crucially important question? Where the Bill that I'm involved in is in question, it's my intention to ask the Bill team to connect appropriately and often with all the opposition parties, even before it's introduced, to set…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Well, in a previous life, I was quite used to being on standing committees looking at secondary legislation, and I just confirm what Mr Hughes has just said: you cannot put everything that you want in primary legislation. It's simply not possible to do that…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
Well, it's something that we haven't actually addressed firmly yet; we've thought a fair bit about it. There is nowadays, of course, a tendency to use secondary legislation frequently in every legislature. That's just the way things are. As for the balance…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
During our meeting with the previous Chair, it was raised very firmly that past experience has not been very good in terms of what you've just said about the backlog suddenly coming along and inundating the committee with work, which possibly couldn't be…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
I've had discussions about this issue, quite clearly, over the past weeks and months. If I may ask my colleague Dylan Hughes if he will address this, because he's actually on the front line in this.
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
One Bill that I will be very interested in is the tribunals Bill, which has its genesis in the last Parliament, although work is now going ahead at pace. The purpose of the Bill will be to create a new structure for all six silos, if you will, six various…
, Legislation Committee
General Scrutiny session with the Counsel General and the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
I'm Elfyn Llwyd, Counsel General. To my right, I have Dylan Hughes, who is the First Legislative Counsel responsible for drafting on behalf of the Welsh Government. And to my left, we have Cara Thomas, who is a member of staff, who does a great deal of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Well, clearly, what the Welsh Government can do is to enter into meaningful negotiations with Westminster, because Westminster holds the key to any further devolution. But I understand and I hear what he says about the potential value of the Crown Estate to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
I thank the Member for that. I was going to say, 'my friend', but I'm not supposed to say that anymore. [Laughter.] That's another Westminsterism that should go. The Welsh Government is actively seeking to secure devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales. Welsh…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Whatever advice I would give them would get me the sack. [Laughter.] But I will say this to him: decisions must and should be made in accordance with the policies set out in the relevant adopted development plan, unless material planning considerations…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
The Welsh Ministers have powers to revoke, to modify or discontinue planning permission granted by local planning authorities, and these are set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. These powers will only be used where the original decision is seen…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
I do apologise if that's offensive. Sorry.
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Well, again, I thank the Member for that question. I do not have a role in this, in terms of saying that I will be changing anything. I will be giving legal advice when called upon to do so. But the problem raised by all three Members is a live one. I do know…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Again, I'm grateful for that question, as I was for the previous question. I'll just repeat shortly that the commissioning of NHS services, including cross-border, is a matter for local health boards, who act within the statutory framework established by…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
There is legislation in Wales and also in England that expressly allows services to be provided and also commissioned across territorial boundaries. NHS bodies also have powers and duties to co-operate and work jointly, supporting integrated cross-border…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
I live in Meirionnydd, which borders on where he lives, and so I am aware of problems that sometimes occur cross-border. Cross-border healthcare arrangements are a routine and essential part of NHS delivery for communities across the Wales-England border…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Just to state the obvious, the new Government is very conscious that promoting legislation is one of its most important functions, and the Office of the Legislative Counsel has a vital role, both in drafting and, more generally, helping shape the Government's…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
I've had numerous discussions already with y Prif Gwnsler Deddfwriaethol, the First Legislative Counsel, who heads that office, both about the work of the office, its capacity and legislation generally.
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Well, as I've said, I do have powers to undertake prosecutions in certain circumstances. But, as Counsel General, I also have a role in ensuring that decisions made by Welsh Ministers are lawful and that they exercise their functions appropriately and that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
I do not have a direct role in the monitoring or supervision of Welsh public bodies. However, I can institute legal proceedings relating to matters where any functions of the Welsh Ministers are exercisable and where such action is appropriate for the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Well, the whole Chamber has heard what he said, and the whole Chamber is disgusted and concerned about what's happening to these young people—there's no question about that. But my remit does not extend to what he asks me to do. However, he's been heard loud…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Well, I thank him for his good wishes, and I do remember working quite co-operatively with him in those days. We've both grown a bit old and finicky and nasty, perhaps, in that time, and I include myself in that. [Laughter.] But the point he makes is a valid…
