, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. It should be set out in the regulations properly and the regulations should be—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, it's stuff like that, really. But there are others. It's just futureproofing it, isn't it?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It is interesting what changes. I've recently been asked to agree that changes in the Welsh woodland estate to put up masts, for example, shouldn't be a ministerial decision because they're no longer controversial; nobody has any problem with them.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes, it might not be in the future.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It has, but, once upon a time, it was brand new. At the moment, we're in a hugely changing technological environment. So, it may well be that something happens, I don't know, to do with hydrogen electrolysers, or, who knows, that might require some alteration…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
We're used to particular types of infrastructure, but sometimes a wholly new thing comes along, and then we're not used to it. We've all got very used to wind, for example, but when they first appeared, nobody was used to it and had the least idea of how to…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Is it?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
—so I have to think of hypothetical examples to give you, I'm afraid. For example, if you wanted to include the alteration of a railway line as a result of a particular application, then we might need to have something specific for that. We don't have…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
At the moment, we haven't got anything in our heads that might require this—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Basically, the inspector would have to set out whether they wished to come alone, and, if not, who they wish to have accompany them, in order to take entry to the land, where, presumably, it is not consensual, because otherwise you wouldn't be doing it like…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
This is just whether the inspector wants to go on their own or whether they want to take a cast of thousands as a result of a particularly intensive application that requires expertise, and so on. It's the regulations around making sure that you give the…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Because, again, it's the detail, isn't it, of how many, how they'd be appointed, how they're notified of their appointment, how you revoke the appointment, how you get rid of somebody, or what happens if they die or all that sort of stuff. And so you need a…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
If I could cut across you. We think you're right and we'll change it. We think the committee's right; the drafting is less than splendid. I will put an amendment in to address it.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. It's where the applicant wishes to control the land in question rather than just cross over it, for example.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
And it's very specific, this. It's specifically for when there's a compulsory purchase element to the application, which, obviously, not all applications would have.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I don't know if you want to come in on this one, Neil. The name and address of the person whose land it is, for example, is the obvious one. If you're going for a compulsory purchase order, you'd want to know all of the people with a title in the land. If you…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, they're going to be set out in the regulations, as I understand it, but there'll be all the list that you're familiar with. So, Natural Resources Wales will be a consultee for absolutely everything; the Ministry of Defence will be a consultee if there's…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, at the moment, we're thinking to replicate the development of national significance process, so that's 30 days if there's an environmental impact assessment and 21 days if there isn't. But, I'm absolutely open to the committee telling us that you'd like…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. So, the Bill—and the committee may have a view on this—sets out what we think a notification absolutely should have, and then it leaves the regulations to tell you exactly how that might be.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
So, the one that comes to mind is the local newspaper. So, at the moment, you'd have to advertise in a local newspaper. Well, very tragically, many places don't have a local newspaper, and it's very likely that in the future it may be actually impossible to…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Apologies.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
It just stopped suddenly. Sorry.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
Yes. I don't know if this maybe isn't working.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I've lost the translation. Sorry, Chair. Apologies, Adam.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I do understand that, entirely. I was going to make the point though that some of these are very technical, and the chances of anyone genuinely wanting to comment in any way on some of the technical changes are pretty low. So, we've kind of gone for, if it's…
