, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, thank you for recognising the sensitivity issues in terms of data protection. You've seen the impact assessment, which we were very pleased to get out and published with the Bill.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
I don't think there's anything more to add to my point, Chair.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Ultimately, courts are there to handle the matter.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
The courts are there, of course.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
—and we have no definition of 'woman' in this Bill, and I think that's the key point. And we've talked about—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
We have no powers over gender recognition. I think that we've made that absolutely clear—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, I mean, this is—. We've gone back to—. Will, if you would like to come in on this point.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, as I've said, this is a gender statement that will have to be made. It's actually highlighted in the equality impact assessment, which I'm sure you've scrutinised—the data protection impact—that this could be sensitive and personal very much in relation…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Not at all, and I think all of us who have been candidates know about that nominations window that we have and the questions asked, quite understandably, right before an election when nomination papers are put in, and the right to inspect those during that…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
That's right.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Can I just say that candidates and political parties will have a role in ensuring that nomination papers are completed accurately and truthfully? There's no other way to operate a gender quota but to seek information about the person's gender.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
I think it's important to clarify and make the point that the Bill is not about the process of gender recognition; gender recognition is a reserved matter. I don't think we should be distracted from the purpose of the Bill, which is a more effective Senedd…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, I think it is clearly the case that a party or candidate could seek advice, seek legal advice, if they're uncertain about how to state their gender. I have said again that that's ensuring that accurate statements are made. But I think, as I said, there…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
—to state their gender, just as you do—. You wouldn't be querying this in terms of any other candidate information that you—. In terms of sanctions, well, of course, the returning officer's role is to check that a nomination paper is correct on its face…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, we need accurate statements, quite clearly, don't we, Darren, in terms of the statement that you will be making, and you clearly are not a woman, but it will be up to individuals to state—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Well, I think we'd need to look at this, perhaps, in a different way. You will, like you do, on so many occasions, have to give your personal information about gender and other circumstances, and for most people it's not going to be a sensitive or difficult…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
I think the information that we're asking them in terms of whether they're a woman or not a woman is very much alongside all of the other information that we would ask for in terms of valid candidate nominations, home address, age, et cetera. We have come to…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Again, we've sought to develop a Bill that can provide the most effective Senedd in terms of greater gender balance. As you say, Darren, candidates will have to provide information regarding whether they're a woman or not by way of a statement. This is very…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
We think it could be useful for the post holder to have experience and knowledge of the electoral process. I think it could be appropriate to assign a deputy, yes, who could deputise for the NNCO. I think one of the important things is that there have been…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. That's a great tribute to you as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and your predecessor, Kirsty Williams. We must acknowledge that leadership role. We did have a Plaid Cymru woman leader as well. We have more to do in terms of…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
No, I know you don't. That's where we agree, that we actually can make it even better if we could get to that 50 per cent. It can be even better, the way that Wales is. Evidence relating to North America, Sweden, Latin America, Africa—what a difference it's…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Diolch yn fawr. I think, again, the main purpose of the legislation—I will extract from the explanatory memorandum—does go back to the evidence and the research that shows that gender-balanced legislatures can be more effective legislatures because of women's…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Of course, we do have a review process in—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill: Evidence session with the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
How many women in Wales think that they're going to be encouraged to come forward to stand, to be representatives in our Welsh Parliament? If we can't at least enable them to have an opportunity—. And that's why we have to take this positive action.
