11 March 2024 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Renters (Reform) Bill: Evidence Session
I'm sure my officials can elaborate on this, but we don't think—. According to the Welsh Government legislation handbook outline of what factors are considered for an expedited or fast-tracked Bill, we don't think this would meet the criteria. But, I mean…
11 March 2024 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Renters (Reform) Bill: Evidence Session
Well, I mean, obviously, that's not a matter for me, unfortunately. I don't have any control of that, and Members of the Senedd will also be aware of various political things going on that mean that it may or may not make it through. But, even if it were…
11 March 2024 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Renters (Reform) Bill: Evidence Session
I think housing is actually one of the areas of law that the next Senedd will probably want to look at for consolidation, because there is a growing body of law—you're quite right, Chair—here in Wales, but it still relies on other provisions inside the UK as…
11 March 2024 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Renters (Reform) Bill: Evidence Session
Thank you very much, Huw. It's a pleasure to be with you here this morning. So, the committee will, of course, be very familiar with our principles for using UK Bills and we think the circumstances here are entirely consistent with those. The existing UK Bill…
11 March 2024 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Renters (Reform) Bill: Evidence Session
Bore da.
5 March 2024 , Committee of the Whole Senedd
Group 4: Increase in maximum number of Welsh Ministers by regulations (Amendments 1, 52, 3)
My portfolio is not unwieldy at all.
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 23: Part 9 – General provisions: Transitional arrangements (Amendment 183)
Only, Chair, because it'll be my last chance to do so, to thank you very much indeed for running the meeting as you have, and to thank all the Members for their really helpful and engaged comments all the way through this process. Diolch.
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 23: Part 9 – General provisions: Transitional arrangements (Amendment 183)
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Amendment 183 relates to transitional provisions in the Bill, and inserts a new section. The amendment has been tabled in part as a result of recommendations from this committee. I've also listened to feedback from stakeholders, and this…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 22: Part 9 – General provisions: General (Amendments 178, 179, 135, 136, 137, 138, 155, 180, 181, 182, 32, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190)
I don't have anything else to add, Chair.
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 22: Part 9 – General provisions: General (Amendments 178, 179, 135, 136, 137, 138, 155, 180, 181, 182, 32, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190)
Thank you, Chair. Dealing with the Government amendments first, amendments 178 and 179 relate to the section of the Bill that requires Minister of the Crown consent. The committee has rightly had a strong interest in our discussions with the UK Government…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 21: Part 8 – Supplementary functions: Biodiversity net gain (Amendment 153)
Diolch, Cadeirydd. So, as Delyth has already said, amendment 153 would introduce a new regulation-making power into the Bill that would make it a requirement to support biodiversity net gain for specific types of infrastructure projects in Wales. There is an…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 20: Part 8 – Supplementary functions: General (Amendments 174, 175, 92, 176, 93, 30, 31, 94, 154, 177)
Thank you, Chair. I'm very grateful to Members for their remarks on the group. In my pursuit of brownie points from the LJC committee, I just want to point that they have called for detail on the face of the Bill, and the Government amendments in this group…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 20: Part 8 – Supplementary functions: General (Amendments 174, 175, 92, 176, 93, 30, 31, 94, 154, 177)
Diolch, Cadeirydd. I'll speak about the Government amendments first. Amendment 174 seeks to provide greater clarity on the language used in respect of the requirements to enter land for the purposes of survey and makes it clear in the Bill that one of the…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 19: Part 7 - Enforcement (Amendments 67, 173, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 134, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
Thank you, Chair. All of these amendments relate to the enforcement system, which is designed to act as a deterrent against unauthorised development and breaches of infrastructure consent orders, whilst providing the necessary tools to carry out enforcement…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 18: Part 6 - Infrastructure Consent Orders (Amendments 65, 66, 131, 132, 133, 171, 23, 172, 24, 33, 34, 35, 36, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Dealing with the non-Government amendments first, I'm thanking Janet, as always, for tabling the amendments. Unfortunately, I am asking you to reject amendment 65. Subsection (2) of section 61 ensures that no more land than is needed would…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 17: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Timetable and decision (Amendments 199, 63, 19, 20, 21, 22, 64)
Diolch, Cadeirydd, and thank you to all Members for their comments. I'll respond to each of the amendments proposed in turn. So, amendment 199 would ensure that, if the Welsh Ministers determine to extend the 52-week time period for deciding an infrastructure…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 16: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Statutory policies (Amendments 62, 129, 168, 130, 152, 169, 170)
I'm afraid I've several more pages to plough my way through. Turning to amendments 129 and 130—. Sorry, no, I'm going back on myself. Amendment 152 would make it a duty on the face of the Bill to have regard to mitigating and adapting to climate change in…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 16: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Statutory policies (Amendments 62, 129, 168, 130, 152, 169, 170)
Sorry, Chair—
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 16: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Statutory policies (Amendments 62, 129, 168, 130, 152, 169, 170)
What we're suggesting is we put supplementary marine planning guidance in place when we know that we have applications coming forward. We're already working on some aspects of a marine spatial plan, so there have been a couple of written statements very…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 16: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Statutory policies (Amendments 62, 129, 168, 130, 152, 169, 170)
Diolch, Cadeirydd. I thank all the Members for outlining the proposed amendments to part 5 of the Bill, and I will turn to those amendments first. So, amendment 62 proposes that the Welsh Ministers delay any new statutory policy of relevance to significant…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 15: Part 5 – Deciding applications: Function of deciding (Amendment 61)
Diolch, Cadeirydd. I thank Members for their comments on amendment 61. Just to reaffirm my understanding of what the amendment would achieve, it removes the direction and regulation-making powers from section 52 of the Bill that would allow the examining…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 14: Part 4 – Examining applications: Operation of inquiry, including access to evidence and assistance for objectors (Amendments 166, 126, 127, 167, 128, 149, 150, 151, 58, 59, 60)
Thank you, Chair. I don't have many further remarks to make. I'm obviously very pleased to be agreeing with the LJC committee in their reports and putting more detail on the face of the Bill. I'm very happy to work with Delyth to make sure the amendments can…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 14: Part 4 – Examining applications: Operation of inquiry, including access to evidence and assistance for objectors (Amendments 166, 126, 127, 167, 128, 149, 150, 151, 58, 59, 60)
Amendment 167 follows on from amendment 166 and makes specific provision for entering Crown land. It provides that permission must be given by the Crown authority, or an appropriate person, in order for the site inspection of Crown land to be carried out…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 14: Part 4 – Examining applications: Operation of inquiry, including access to evidence and assistance for objectors (Amendments 166, 126, 127, 167, 128, 149, 150, 151, 58, 59, 60)
Diolch, Gadeirydd. First, the Government amendments, then. They respond to recommendations 19 and 20 of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee’s report on section 43 of the Bill. Section 43 is the power to enter land as part of examination. The…
22 February 2024 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Group 13: Part 4 – Examining applications: Choice of inquiry, hearing or written procedure (Amendments 146, 165, 125, 18, 57, 147, 148)
Unfortunately, there is a drafting issue here. It is not clear whether the intention is to determine the procedure 28 days before or after the application has been accepted as valid. And secondly, for DNS, the procedure is determined after the consultation…
