, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Diolch yn fawr. Obviously, I have seen and quoted, as you said, the eminent Professor Thomas Glyn Watkin KC's views on this. And, as I've said, the scrutiny process has revealed a range of opinions on legislative competence, and we have to be mindful of the…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Diolch yn fawr. Well, I think I've said fully what I wanted to say on this matter in terms of the Bill being in competence. I've noted with interest the various legal views on competence that have been presented, noting, of course, that there are differences…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Well, we haven't been approached by those organisations for a meeting. Obviously, we ought to be engaged with them. We've engaged with established networks, and I've given some indication of the sort of representation of those, and the basis of the membership…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
—for election petitions.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Well, I think it might be worth just mentioning the other point about false statements, Chair, which is the role of the returning officer. So, the returning officer's role is to check that a nomination paper is correct on its face. They're not investigating…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
—but I was going to say two parties gave evidence who'd operated voluntary quotas in the past. And those parties, Labour and Plaid Cymru, noted that they don't ask candidates for evidence of their gender currently—and this goes back to your earlier point—and…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Yes, you did give evidence—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Well, I think this is an important question. The quota rules have been designed to accord with our electoral system proposed in the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill, and also existing rules with regard to nominations. That, of course, as I've said…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
—in terms of the development of this legislation?
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Would anyone else like to contribute to this—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I know how committed you are to the Commonwealth, which includes some of those countries. Mexico is the only example where the system was abused by a group of men claiming to be women. It was dealt with by the election tribunal. The system is now working…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Can I perhaps comment on what you said about the only case, the one and only case, the only example? One hundred and thirty countries, Darren—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I think, probably, again, we look to some of the evidence that you have had. I'm interested in looking back at the Electoral Reform Society Cymru's evidence and what they said. There is no concern coming from that robust organisation, nor from WEN Wales…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I think this was the way we saw that this was appropriate for the actual legislation, and then the explanatory memorandum explains how we would deliver that in terms of the quotas.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I think I've given my explanation, Cadeirydd, about this. The Bill is not about defining 'woman'. I've given an example where legislation has used but hasn't defined the term 'woman'. Obviously, this is an issue where it's been important to receive all the…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Thank you for that question. You know, of course, that the purpose of this Bill is a more effective Senedd, and this is to be sought and achieved through greater gender balance. The legislation doesn't include a definition of 'woman', and the Bill is not…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I would be very surprised—and perhaps our lawyer or others could say something—if any Government would take forward a Bill and start estimating costs of not being able to progress. What is important is that you are scrutinising this Bill, alongside our…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
We wouldn't do that with any Bill, even if we thought there was a possibility of challenge. In no Bill do we anticipate what could happen in the future. So, this would not be appropriate for any financial estimation. Obviously, we're taking this Bill forward…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I think so. This is the sort of thing that could happen to any piece of legislation on its travels through to Royal Assent.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Will, do you want to—?
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
I think the statement of policy intent makes it clear that we fund the local authorities for the administration of Senedd elections, but actually, what happens is they pay the upfront payments because initially it falls on them. It says that in the regulatory…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Well, I was very pleased to appear before the Finance Committee last week, and was able to answer these questions there. As I said to them at the time, the Finance Committee, the total costs are estimated in the regulatory impact assessment, and estimated to…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
A positive effect on culture, on legislation. But, anyway, the fact is, the purpose of the Bill is as it is, and the support for us to be here today is because it's part of our programme for government and co-operation agreement, and there's a lot of strong…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
—and how you promote the change, and what the change will mean. Doesn't this go back to the purpose of the Bill, which—? Of course, the message has to come over very clearly and strongly: 130 countries are already implementing this. Wales is leading the way…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Well, this is about change, isn't it, and how you take people with you—
