Mr Simon Thomas: I'm very grateful to him for giving way. I support what he's saying, of course, but does he share my concern that that consultation on the wider question was actually allowed to be dominated by external consultants, if you like, who brought their own agenda, rather than settling this question, which is the one the public in Wales are interested in?
Mr Simon Thomas: As Chair of the Finance Committee, it’s not often that I am lobbied on issues of animal welfare, but that’s what happened to me when I and the Finance Committee visited Anglesey. The petitioner, Linda Joyce Jones, ensured that she crossed the Menai strait in order to speak directly with the Finance Committee on these very issues. But I’m speaking today as the Plaid Cymru spokesperson...
Mr Simon Thomas: So, what I'm about to outline is, of course, using section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which allows 'the appropriate national authority', which is the Welsh Ministers—not the Assembly, mind you, it's true; the Ministers—to make regulations 'as the authority thinks fit for the purpose of promoting the welfare of animals for which a person is responsible, or the progeny of such...
Mr Simon Thomas: [Inaudible.]
Mr Simon Thomas: I'm very grateful. What I wanted to try and ascertain from her—because she's set out the options: a standalone Bill or a section 12, and she's also set out the other things that she's looking at. I mentioned another one, which is zoos, as well, which has also come up—
Mr Simon Thomas: Well, yes. Obviously, a Bill would allow the wider animal welfare considerations to be addressed, whereas a section 12 has to be specifically targeted at a particular animal welfare issue. Is she, at least, able to give us where her thinking is on that at the moment? Because what the concern, I think, around the Chamber would be that is that we don't want to let something that we can do now...
Mr Simon Thomas: Just to remember, of course, that fair trade is not just for Christmas, but for Easter chocolate as well. Can I ask for two items from the business manager? First of all, it's been widely reported in the press this morning that the terms of the inquiry led by Paul Bowen QC regarding the actions of the First Minister around the dismissal of Carl Sargeant from the Government have now been...
Mr Simon Thomas: I'd like to thank the Minister for her statement and say that many, I think, will welcome the fact that it appears now that there will be stability in this area from here on in. I note that it's five years since we started discussing the future of designated landscapes, and five years later we've ended up with nothing having changed. Not one of the main three recommendations of Terry Marsden...
Mr Simon Thomas: Will the Member give way?
Mr Simon Thomas: Will you give way?
Mr Simon Thomas: I'm grateful. She will have heard, as I did, David Melding say that the LCM process that relates to the Bill would be a protection in here, but of course that gives us no protection with all these regulations made by Henry VIII powers, which only have to be consulted on with the Welsh Government—not even the Assembly. This Bill before us today is not bogus at all. It's a fundamental...
Mr Simon Thomas: Will the Cabinet Secretary give way?
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you. It's just on this point: you've set out that these costs would happen whether we take the Westminster route or this route. There are administrative costs for the Welsh Government in preparing for what people have voted for, so that's fine, but have you been able to ascertain at all whether the option in this Bill is actually a more expensive option or a different costed option to...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you very much, Llywydd. Even though the report of the Finance Committee has been mentioned during the debate that we had on the general principles of the Bill, the Finance Committee doesn’t have much to say on policy here, but we have a great many things to say about the costs and the advantages of the Bill, and that’s why I stand to speak on the financial resolution. We...
Mr Simon Thomas: 7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on dental services in Mid and West Wales? OAQ51902
Mr Simon Thomas: 3. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided regarding changing the law in Wales to allow women to take abortion tablets in their homes? OAQ51905
Mr Simon Thomas: 4. What discussions has the Counsel General held regarding the Welsh Government's ability to use section 12 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to introduce a ban on wild animals in circuses? OAQ51903
Mr Simon Thomas: Well, Cabinet Secretary, you say that things have improved over the past few years, but certainly over the past year, from what I have seen from the constituents approaching me, there has been a decline, and that decline is getting worse. So, there is no NHS dentist now in Aberystwyth. There is no chance for new patients to register with a dentist in the largest town in mid Wales. There is a...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you for that response, Counsel General. I am of the opinion, as is outlined in the statement of opinion, that we should take a medical approach to this issue, rather than a legal approach that is based on old law emerging from some of the ethical debates that were taking place over half a century ago. I think we are now looking at this through a medical lens, and what is best for the...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you for that response, which doesn't really help in assisting us to understand what the Welsh Government intends to do. Clearly, this section could be used, as it gives Ministers very broad powers to intervene in cases of animal welfare. It is clear too that we could use primary legislation in this place—a Bill and an Act going through this place. Now, in the past, you as counsel...
