Huw Irranca-Davies: Yes, indeed, I will conclude. Just to say, he was one of many. He delivered more than 2,300 meals during the first wave of the pandemic, with the help of Gilfach Goch rugby club and the local community, to the vulnerable and elderly. Minister, I would simply say: let's celebrate these businesses and, also, provide them with the support that they need, going forward, as well. Thank you very much.
Huw Irranca-Davies: I speak in support of the main motion, backing the right to food. The right to food was set out in the United Nations international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights, which the UK Government ratified way back in 1976, and it says: 'The right to adequate food is realized when every man, woman and child, alone or in community with others, has physical and economic access at all...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Would you give way on that?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Could you simply explain to me, who has seen the rise in foodbanks—? And I commend the volunteers and the people who donate, I really do. But could you just explain to me and my constituents why those crisis moments have exponentially exploded since 2010?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Just tell us. Just tell us why.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Population growth? [Members of the Senedd: 'Oh.'] Unbelievable.
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. How will the Welsh Government help tackle structural health, social and economic disadvantage in areas of acute and multiple deprivation? OQ57355
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, First Minister. I recognise that swimming against the tide, but there is so much more we can do with a Welsh Government programme as well that actively invests in these communities. I know that places like Caerau, great communities like Caerau in my constituency, were the first to see Flying Start investment. We had the investment in childcare for working families in places like...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Llywydd and thank you, Minister. We considered these regulations at our meeting yesterday, and our report was laid immediately afterwards.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Our report raised what Members will now recognise as quite familiar merits points under Standing Order 21.3, namely highlighting any potential interference with human rights and the lack of formal consultation. Our third merits reporting point notes that the explanatory memorandum accompanying the regulations makes no reference to an equality impact assessment. We asked the Welsh Government...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Llywydd. We issued our reports on the first memorandum and the supplementary memorandum, memorandum No. 2, last week. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time for us to consider memorandum No. 3 and report on it.
Huw Irranca-Davies: I'd better point out at the beginning of this that I sometimes feel like a legalistic and constitutional Jeremiah sometimes, but we do want to make clear as a committee that our intention is not only to signal where we have concerns, but also, constructively highlight areas which may well help avoid these regular challenges from the committee, some of which are now following a clear and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 1. What consideration does the Minister give to enabling the Welsh Government and local authorities to actively invest in energy generation and energy efficiency when allocating funding to the climate change portfolio? OQ57354
Huw Irranca-Davies: What action is the Minister taking to reduce the impact of agricultural pollution on the quality of Welsh rivers and waterways?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, I really welcome that initial response. There's no doubting the Welsh Government's ambitions on behalf of the people of Wales. But one of the interesting things, when we look at this aspect of taking a stake in energy generation and energy efficiency, is that very often you will see—and I would support this as a co-operative member—the idea of share models, where you could...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I am speaking today as Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. I'm contributing to this debate because of the responsibilities my committee has in reporting on legislative consent memoranda referred to us by the Business Committee.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Let me recognise at the outset that not all memoranda, or LCMs, are the same. Some will relate to areas where there may indeed be sufficient and appropriate reasons for the UK Government to be permitted to legislate in devolved areas. For others, we recognise that the current UK Government is and has been seeking to legislate in devolved areas against the wishes of the Welsh Government, and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, we will continue to hold the Welsh Government to account firmly on its use of legislative consent memoranda, and we'll do so in the interests not only of good constitutional practice, but also, Welsh democracy. Thank you very much.
Huw Irranca-Davies: The inter-institutional relations agreement between the Senedd and the Welsh Government, freshly remade for this sixth Senedd, is not as bland or as niche as its title may suggest. It is an important agreement, relevant to all Senedd committees and applicable to all Welsh Ministers.
Huw Irranca-Davies: While my committee, building on the work of its predecessor, has taken the lead, the agreement represents the settled position on the information that the Welsh Government will provide to the Senedd as a whole with regard to Welsh Ministers' participation in the formal, ministerial-level inter-governmental meetings, the agreements, concordats, and the memorandums of understanding. Such...
