, Plenary
Emergency Question: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Diolch, Llywydd, and thank you for this extraordinary opportunity to say a few words. The first words are really to recognise those brave Russian students and young people who have been demonstrating all across the Russian Federation, because they are the…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Professional Qualifications Bill
It is certainly something that is of considerable constitutional concern, and it exposes also the dysfunction in the constitutional arrangements we have. I think there is probably common agreement on the need—that somewhere along the way, the constitution has…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Professional Qualifications Bill
Oh, certainly.
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Professional Qualifications Bill
Diolch, Llywydd. If I respond first of all to the comments of the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, and also to inform him—. I'm sure that Members are aware that, of course, within these particular clauses 114 and 115—and, of…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Professional Qualifications Bill
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. I welcome the opportunity to explain the background to this legislative consent motion on behalf of the Minister for Education and Welsh Language and set out why I'm recommending that the Senedd withholds consent to the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I think that the best answer to that question is that I think that I will have to ask the Minister when I meet with him because, at the moment, as far as I'm aware, the discussions on the issue, for example, of a vacant land tax—. We want such a tax…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I thank the Member for the question. Four years since beginning the process to devolve new powers for a vacant land tax, we have still not been able to secure these powers. It is quite clear now that the process is not fit for purpose.
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you. I can tell you that Welsh Government officials have had no engagement from the UK Government on the levelling-up White Paper, despite economic development actually being a devolved competence. Our experience of this sort of inter-governmental…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I thank the Member for the question. We are still going through the detail of the levelling-up White Paper, but through their use of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, UK Ministers continue to override the devolution settlements and the democratic…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you, and you're absolutely right, and I'm glad that the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee is paying close attention to this, because, as these relations develop and deal with really significant matters that impact on people's lives, it is…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you for that. Inter-parliamentary arrangements are a matter for the Parliaments themselves. We are committed to strengthening transparency, scrutiny and accountability for inter-governmental relations. We have a formal inter-governmental review…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you. It's an important question. It does beg the question why it is that, in 10 years, when you've had almost a halving of the number of magistrates, it is so late in the day now that action is being taken and also in such a minimalist way. Why are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you for the question. The appointment of lay magistrates is actually undertaken by the Judicial Office, not the UK Government. I have not personally had any discussions about magistrates specifically, but it is something we will consider with partners…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you for the question. The Member raises a very important point and it's a point that has been very carefully considered; I've applied my mind to it and I know the Minister for finance has as well. And, of course, the Bill is, I think, at Stage 1 of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you very much again. I am satisfied that the constitutional implications of the Bill have been appropriately scrutinised and evaluated. Powers included in the Bill as currently drafted are subject to four purpose tests, which may only be used where the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, look, can I say that, firstly, the inter-governmental review, and the process that the Member has seen, is an important one? It is certainly, in my view, a significant step forward, but it's a cautious step forward, because we have to see how it will…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, thank you for the question. The first thing is, in respect of all UK Government legislation, the Member is aware of the principles that are applied. One of the difficulties that arises, and particularly in the Bill that he's mentioned, is that there are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, thank you for the question. And you do raise a valid point, and that is: how will we engage, what will the synergy be, what will the principles be of that particular engagement? The problem with the document you refer to is it really is a number of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Thank you for the question. There is no doubt that, the last decade, the legal aid cuts have had an absolute disastrous impact on our communities and have disenfranchised many of our Welsh citizens from access to justice. In terms of the review—the two…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I thank you for the question and I do support the proposal that has been made and welcome the statement that's been made. I can inform you, in fact, that myself and the Minister for Social Justice met approximately several hours ago with Lord Wolfson to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, of course, the influence of jurisprudence—the influence of decisions from Europe, from the European Court, are obviously ones that are important, still taken into account, and of course we do have, as Members from all parties have mentioned, retained EU…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I thank the Member for the question. We will be working co-operatively with all the Governments of the United Kingdom. I hope the discussions and negotiations will be in accordance with the principles that have already been agreed now in terms of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
If I perhaps respond to the Member's first comment, which was about this wonderful new descriptive propagandist creation of ministerial titles—Minister for Brexit opportunities—it almost reminds you, doesn't it, of the former Soviet Union Government and 'The…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I thank you for the question. The points you raise are absolutely right—the issue of retained EU law and the review of law is something that is of significant concern to us, not just a constitutional issue, but the issue we have in terms of the statements…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I thank the Member for that comment. I'd remind the Members—they may have read about it already—the concerns we have about the way this is actually being processed and suddenly rushed forward with apparently no clear reason as to why that might be the…
