Jeremy Miles: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has statutory powers to assess the extent and manner in which a public authority in Wales has complied with the public sector equality duty. The Welsh Government works closely with the commission on monitoring arrangements and on the Welsh Ministers’ report on equality.
Jeremy Miles: I absolutely believe that local authorities need to take their duties, under the Equality Act 2010 seriously, including the one that he has just identified. I know that the publication of the local government settlement, which provides the core, unhypothecated funding, local authorities are reminded by letter from my colleague the Minister for Housing and Local Government about that...
Jeremy Miles: The Member identifies an important question in his supplementary. The public sector equality duty is fundamental, of course, to the operations of local authorities. We were the first Government to bring in specific equality duties in order for public bodies to better perform their duties against that broader set of duties. He may know that the EHRC has commissioned a piece of work to inform...
Jeremy Miles: The regulations for planning hearings and inquiries have recently been reviewed and already provide for a fair and equitable hearing.
Jeremy Miles: I'm aware that the Member has been in correspondence with the Government in relation to that matter. I'm obviously not in a position to comment on the specific application that the Member has described in her supplementary question. But the appeals procedures have been reviewed and updated in 2017, and, obviously, were subject to extensive consultation before coming into force, as is change...
Jeremy Miles: The Member identifies a very important point of principle and a question of access to justice, which I know he has pursued in this and other contexts. The question is: without control over the levers which best deliver access to justice in that context, what can we do as a Government to ensure that the points at which that advantage can be exercised are minimised as far as possible within the...
Jeremy Miles: With regard to public bodies at large, it is the Information Commissioner's role to monitor and enforce public bodies' compliance with access to information law. I have no role in monitoring other bodies' compliance. As regards Welsh Government specifically, information requests for Welsh Government are handled by civil servants, in accordance with well-established internal procedures. The...
Jeremy Miles: Well, I'm afraid I'm not in a position to comment on the resourcing of the Information Commissioner and his office; that is a reserved matter. The sponsoring department of the ICO is the UK Government's Ministry of Justice. Plainly, though, the statutory regime, which does provide via section 15 a mechanism to seek redress, as he outlines, and he identifies in his question some of the...
Jeremy Miles: Llywydd, for the first time in 20 years of devolution, two Parliaments—our Parliament here and the Parliament in Scotland—will discuss and vote on the same motion simultaneously. This in itself is significant, but it's more than that. It signals just how grave the threat facing Wales, Scotland and the UK as a whole is, namely that the UK Government has led us to the possibility of a 'no...
Jeremy Miles: Llywydd, it is clear that the Prime Minister has lost the trust of Parliament. She's been careering from one side of the road to the other, appeasing first the Brexiteers then the remainers in her own ranks instead of setting a steady course. The road on which she is driving us still leads to a cliff edge. First we had the delay to the meaningful vote in December, then a historically...
Jeremy Miles: The temporary measures announced by the UK Government in the event of no deal demonstrates they lack a credible long-term plan for leaving the EU. The best way to ensure trade is frictionless between the UK and the EU is leave with a deal that commits to customs and regulatory alignment as set out in 'Securing Wales’ Future'.
Jeremy Miles: We have carried out a significant programme of work to consider the Brexit readiness of the main agriculture sectors. Leaving the EU presents some sectors with opportunities, however, we expect the red meat sector in Wales to face considerable challenges.
Jeremy Miles: There is no situation in which leaving the EU without a deal would not have profoundly negative consequences for the people and economy of Wales. Nevertheless, we are continuing to prepare, supporting public services to do likewise, announcing an additional £1.2 million to help local authorities prepare for Brexit last week.
Jeremy Miles: Once temporary measures cease to apply, a 'no deal' Brexit will result in additional checks on goods entering Wales, which all credible analysis shows will damage the economy. The best way to protect our economy and jobs is to commit to customs and regulatory alignment as set out in 'Securing Wales’ Future'.
Jeremy Miles: Welsh Ministers are taking powers in the UK Agriculture Bill to provide a legal basis for future support to farmers after Brexit. The powers being taken are intended to be transitional until a Wales agriculture Bill can be brought forward.
Jeremy Miles: We have been consistent in our position that a 'no deal' Brexit would be catastrophic for Wales. As a responsible Government, we are undertaking a wide range of critical work to ensure that we are as prepared as possible in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Jeremy Miles: The Welsh Government and its agents are continuously assessing the potential impact and implications of Brexit on all aspects of Welsh society, including the arts and culture, to ensure that no area of Wales, including Islwyn, loses out as a result of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for that supplementary. I know there are many organisations in her constituency that have benefited from EU funding, including the Blackwood Miners' Institute and other organisations. We've been consistent in our insistence that the UK Government should deliver on its promise that Wales would not lose a penny of the income it receives currently from the EU after we leave,...
Jeremy Miles: A 'no deal' Brexit would be catastrophic for Wales, but we are working at full capacity on preparedness, building on the arrangements reported to the Assembly on 22 January. This includes support to organisations from the European transition fund, with an additional £1.7 million for business resilience announced last week.
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for that supplementary. She has raised this with me a number of times in the Chamber. I know how vital the automotive sector is in her constituency and in other parts of Wales. There is a very, very constant stream of communication—two-way communication—between Welsh Government, the Minister for Economy and Transport and officials with companies who are car producers,...
