, Plenary
Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I welcome all the comments that have been made. Referring to Jane Dodds's comments last of all, the health of our democracy, I think, is an issue of such importance. The points you raised we are all aware of and have been commented…
, Plenary
Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill
I now look forward to hearing the opinions of my fellow Members on this Bill. Thank you very much.
, Plenary
Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill
It is a Bill that will begin to modernise our Welsh electoral system, to create a system that has our democratic health at its heart, fit for the twenty-first century. With this Bill, we are seeking to improve our democracy by improving how elections are run…
, Plenary
Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill
Thank you, Llywydd, I'm delighted to move the Stage 4 motion on the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill. During the course of this Senedd, we have delivered radical and groundbreaking legislation. This Bill is one of the most radical, as it goes to the…
, Plenary
Stage 4 of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill
I move the motion.
, Plenary
Debate on the Standards of Conduct Committee report, 'Thirteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9'
I don’t disagree with the report. I acknowledge the contents of it and it contains my apology, which I repeat today.
, Plenary
Group 15: Disqualification from being a Member of Senedd Cymru—offence of deception (Amendments 43, 6, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 25)
Move.
, Plenary
Group 15: Disqualification from being a Member of Senedd Cymru—offence of deception (Amendments 43, 6, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 25)
I understand I failed the audition, my membership card is not in the post, and I hope I don't read anything about it in social media. But I think the importance of the engagement, I think, with political groups on this has been very, very important and very…
, Plenary
Group 15: Disqualification from being a Member of Senedd Cymru—offence of deception (Amendments 43, 6, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 25)
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I firstly get my bit of business out the way? That is, I will be moving amendment 6 to remove section 64, and opposing all other amendments in this section. Can I firstly just, on the really important discussion that we've been having…
, Plenary
Group 14: Disqualification from being a Member of Senedd Cymru and local government (Amendments 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
Thank you. Well, I've been pleased to be able to work with Joel James on the amendments, and 24, tabled by Peter Fox. Thank you for raising this important issue, Joel. Can I thank Peter Fox for amendments 20, 21 and 22? However, I won't be supporting them…
, Plenary
Group 13: Independent Remuneration Board of the Senedd (Amendment 42)
Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, just to say, that I think the issues that have been raised, I know they're ones that are probably shared by a number. It's an area of debate and it does resonate with many Members, I am sure. But can I just say that it's a matter for…
, Plenary
Group 12: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru—functions relating to remuneration of elected Members (Amendments 40, 41)
Diolch, Llywydd. Just to say that, obviously, transparency in respect of the method of determination and levels of local elected member remuneration is, indeed, an important public matter and a matter of public interest. However, the Bill does provide already…
, Plenary
Group 11: Publication of contact details for community councils (Amendment 39)
I thank Adam Price for the amendment. I won't be supporting it. Section 54(2) of the Bill requires each principal council to publish and maintain on its website an up-to-date list of all the communities and community councils in its area with their current…
, Plenary
Group 10: Electoral arrangements reviews (Amendments 2, 3, 4, 5)
Moved.
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Group 10: Electoral arrangements reviews (Amendments 2, 3, 4, 5)
Moved.
, Plenary
Group 10: Electoral arrangements reviews (Amendments 2, 3, 4, 5)
Moved.
, Plenary
Group 10: Electoral arrangements reviews (Amendments 2, 3, 4, 5)
I thank the Member for the comments, and I've taken note, very much, of those comments. I'm very much aware of them. One of the reasons for creating the duty is I'm sure that the positive engagement and the obligation to engage will result, I'm sure, in many…
, Plenary
Group 10: Electoral arrangements reviews (Amendments 2, 3, 4, 5)
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on this group of amendments, which are concerned with electoral arrangements reviews. Feedback from the 2017 programme of electoral arrangements reviews, which culminated with Orders for…
, Plenary
Group 9: Welsh language requirements for returning officers (Amendments 37, 38, 51)
There's no contradiction because the objective and my support for the objective is absolutely there, it's really the practical mechanics of actually getting to that and raising the two specific issues that I think I have raised. One is the as yet unspecified…
, Plenary
Group 9: Welsh language requirements for returning officers (Amendments 37, 38, 51)
Certainly, yes.
, Plenary
Group 9: Welsh language requirements for returning officers (Amendments 37, 38, 51)
Can I thank Adam for the points that he's raised and the various arguments that he's put, and, of course, we did have some of these at the last stage? Can I say that there is much of what Adam has said that I'm in complete agreement with, in particular with…
, Plenary
Group 8: Financial assistance scheme—operation (Amendments 35, 19)
Amendment 35 would allow Welsh Ministers to make regulations making provisions for candidate care and support costs to enable them to participate in the election. The provision in the Bill as introduced enables schemes for financial assistance to be provided…
, Plenary
Group 7: Welsh elections information platform (Amendments 17, 18, 31, 1, 32, 33, 34)
If I might just start, because there have been several references to the RNIB—I might have mentioned this in one of the earlier amendments, but it's equally been raised here—just to say that we are in regular engagement with the RNIB. In fact, there was a…
, Plenary
Group 6: Diversity in persons seeking elected office (Amendment 16)
Diolch Llywydd. Thank you, Peter, for opening this debate. I'll speak to amendment 16. The amendment would require candidate surveys to include questions about candidates’ experience of abuse and harassment. As I explained during Stage 2 proceedings, the Bill…
, Plenary
Group 5: Assistance for voters with disabilities (Amendments 15, 30)
Diolch, Llywydd, and thank you for all the points that have been made, and they've been well made. My preferred approach, as I did say at Stage 2, is to place duties on returning officers via subordinate legislation. The Welsh Government and, certainly, I…
