, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, you're looking at areas, aren't you—? You're looking, for example, in terms of changes that have been taken to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, which is being created, and there are certain issues in terms of the increased size of the…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, that's a matter, obviously, in terms of what the Senedd chooses to support and not support in terms of legislation. The reality is, though, I think that there are clearly some overlaps. I think they complement one another in terms of reform, but I don't…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
What you have in terms of legislation, obviously, is there are discussions that take place in terms of, 'This is what's happening with the Senedd'. Clearly, there are views that this has a relevance to the local government situation, which was four years but…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, I know there have been discussions with local government over this, and I think their position is that they would want to review this in the light of what the Senedd decides. So, that's a matter, I think, for future policy, but also future discussion…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Sorry?
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think it's a matter for local government to consider in terms of their term, and what their views are as to whether they should stay with five years, or whether they would want to—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think the reality of four years within a busy and tight legislative programme—by legislative programme, I mean not just what would be the Welsh Government's programme, but also the engagement in terms of UK Government legislation—I think it is; I think what…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Yes.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
No. Okay. I think we've covered that.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think there is a recognition with the UK Government and with ourselves, and indeed, with the Scottish Government—this is one of those areas we've discussed that everyone wants to avoid a conflict of elections. The way the UK parliamentary constitution…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think in many ways the increased powers, actually, make the accountability issue even more important. What you're doing is not only more significant, but you are legislating in much more complex areas that directly impact on people's lives, far greater. And…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, it's not that we're changing to four years, we're reverting to four years. We're reverting to what was the norm from the initial establishment of the National Assembly for Wales, and we're reverting in the light of a legislative repeal, whereby the move…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, I think the main areas that have been added to, for example—. If you take them one at a time, the first one is the four-year period, which was not one of the recommendations, but is there. I think that is solely that, when you're bringing legislation of…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Yes.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
What I was going to say is that all those points, as far as I'm concerned, are largely irrelevant, and don't influence me in any way. My function, as I said, is very, very clear. There are Senedd processes and recommendations have come forward. I’ve made it…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Firstly, I have no knowledge of any letters that have gone to committees or whatever. We have a party political system within the Senedd. It is undoubtedly the case—as we know, because there was a co-operation agreement—that political parties talk together…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Two thirds of the Members of the Senedd. And, as I say, this is a matter that comes from the Senedd. It will only go through if two thirds of the Members actually support it. My job isn't to second-guess the individual Members of the Senedd; my job is to…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, I think any reform of this type that requires a two-thirds majority has to have the consent of two thirds of the Members—
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, that's a matter for the Senedd. All I can do is take the recommendations that come forward from the Senedd committee, and my job is to convert those into legislation, and I think that is effectively what we've done with this Bill.
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think the public support that we seek is for the reform. The precise detail of the mechanics is one that I think you have to work out within a constitutional structure, and this is what this Bill does—it creates a constitutional structure that delivers, I…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
Well, listen, if there was ever a time when you asked people, 'Do you want more politicians?', the answer isn't always going to be supportive. I've actually been quite encouraged by the number of people who have actually said, 'Well, if it's what's needed to…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think what you have to do is you have to look at the work that's gone on, really, almost over the entire 20 years in terms of the analysis of how this Senedd works, how it has changed, what it is required to do for the future. That is why a whole series of…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
What I would hope is that with 96 Members the accountability and scrutiny of Government is going to be not only much sharper, but far more specialist, and far more effective. Ultimately, the quality of any Parliament is the quality of the Members themselves…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think with 96 Members, firstly, you're going to have individual Members who are only on one committee, who would be specialising and understanding the detail of that committee's work, as opposed to being on quite a number of committees. I seem to remember…
, Reform Bill Committee
Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill: Ministerial evidence session
I think the position is that if the Senedd wants a supermajority, then that's what it will be able to achieve. This is a Bill that I'm bringing forward. It's not a Government Bill; it's the Welsh Government facilitating the ability of a Bill to pass through…
