, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, thank you for that. I think that sections 27, 28 and 29 of the legislation are a really quite important part of this legislation. In terms of the information platform, I think that it is a fairly uncontroversial view that we think that voters should…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, look, the first thing is that those are all matters that—. The issue of how we might vote differently over different times, the longer term issue of online voting, which I know is very topical—. These are all things that having an automatic register and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
The intention is that there will be no pilots prior to the 2026 elections, other than in respect of piloting the automatic registration issue.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Just to add, the power is to a number of bodies to actually make proposals for pilots. So, for example, if you look at section 10: 'Proposals for pilots made by principal councils 'A principal council may propose to the Welsh Ministers that pilot regulations…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, the legislation requires a forum for the discussion of pilots. Any proposal for a pilot, I think, has to be laid before the Senedd, so it has to be voted on itself. But, beyond that—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, the electoral management board undertakes the evaluation of the projects. I think the pilots that can be proposed, for example, are from a variety of sources. It can be jointly, it can be local government, it can be the Welsh Ministers, it can be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes, well, it's the electoral management board that will undertake the evaluation of the piloting proposals themselves. We do think that six weeks is sufficient time for them to do that. There also needs to be time for any changes that emerge as a result of…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think it's fair to say, Chair, isn't it, that these are ongoing challenges we have in every election that we're always very much alert to—how do we ensure the maximum inclusivity, understanding the issues of different languages, levels of understanding, and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, it's one of the reasons why it's desirable to have a pilot, to explore how that actually operates in practice. We do have a democratic engagement partnership to engage with the various bodies that are involved in the conduct and oversight of elections…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes. I think that's probably my slight misinformation. It's the notice of intention to add to the register that gives 45 days' notice, and, of course, that happens automatically unless one of the interventions that are identified takes place.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
They don't have to do anything at all. What happens is they're given what is a notification that they've been added to the electoral register, and that there are then certain options. If they don't do anything at all, that just means they stay on the register.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
It's a very good point, and it's been very much something that's been in consideration. It's something that when we consulted over the legislation, and so on, there's been thought to. I think it really comes through the process that will be operated. So, as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I'm sure, if we can achieve it within Wales, the UK Government should be capable of achieving it.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
With the UK Government, I suppose, constitutionally, anything is feasible and possible. And if the UK Government were to do so, they would obviously need to regulate in a particular way to enable that to happen, whether it would need primary legislation or…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think it is an issue. It's an issue we've already had to deal with. Firstly, we've had to deal with it because of the issue of 16 and 17-year-old voters, of course, within our own elections and within the Senedd and county council elections, so that is…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think it's going to be about engagement and communication, isn't it—engagement with stakeholders, the clarity of understanding of the fact that there are those particular differences. There is clearly a divergence. It's not just a one-way divergence…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes, absolutely.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
My recollection in terms of discussions on this is that it would be an affirmative vote, so the—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
It would be tabled, I think, for a vote in the Senedd. Is that right, Michael? Have I got that right?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think it's important to note that there are effectively going to be two different types of register, firstly, because we already have a different register in respect of 16 plus. There are two particular parts of Welsh legislation that have created changes…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Basically, the powers to do so come from the legislation itself. Once the legislation is passed and has Royal Assent, then it's to be achieved by secondary legislation.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I'll go to the officials in a moment on this, because it's very much work in progress. But it's basically looking at where there are specific Welsh sources of data that can be utilised—those data sources that are within the jurisdiction of Wales—to…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, the starting point is just to say that there is no intention to have pilots other than in respect of the automatic registration matters. This is before the 2026. But, really, I think the basis for the introduction of pilots will be dealt with by…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, ultimately, it is. The commission will produce a report. We'd expect the report to actually go to the Senedd for debate, but how the Senedd chooses to manage its own business is, obviously, a matter for the Senedd itself.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Sorry, what was that last part?
