Mick Antoniw: Thank you for those comments. It is an irony, isn't it, that the UK Government is a proponent of the free market, but the free market only when it comes to maximising the profits and directors' pay. When the free market dictates that we are actually not paying our public sector workers enough, the response of UK Government is actually to interfere with that free market, to undermine it and to...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for those comments and I do agree with them, and I have the greatest of respect for the Communication Workers Union, and also for those postmen who deliver through all the bad weather. You look at the weather we have now and we have them out there in that appalling weather delivering—actually delivering now the Christmas cards that we didn't get before Christmas. I'm disappointed...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you, Llywydd. Six months or so have passed since I introduced the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill. At that time, members of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee expressed their enthusiasm to scrutinise this historic piece of legislation—the first piece of legislation where the Senedd plays a formal part in consolidating Welsh law. Certainly, the committee took up...
Mick Antoniw: Llywydd, I want to focus today on whether the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill should proceed as a consolidation Bill. The committee's report contains 14 recommendations and five conclusions, many of which bear directly on this question, and it is the second recommendation that commands our immediate attention, for it recommends that the Bill should proceed as a consolidation Bill. And this...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. Can I first of all thank all those who have participated for their contribution, and can I thank the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for the very, very long session we had going through the Bill and the very detailed scrutiny of all those sections? It was an important process, and, can I just say, going through it myself, and having to answer the detail on each of...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for that. It's a very important point, because it is a balancing exercise, isn't it? We have a very active, very demanding, legislative process, our own legislative programme, and, of course, we also have the UK Government's legislative impact through their own legislation LCMs, as we've seen to quite a considerable extent today. I think it's a balance. I think the annual reports...
Mick Antoniw: This Government is committed to supporting all LGBTQ+ communities, as set out in the programme for government, and to simplifying the process for obtaining a gender recognition certificate.
Mick Antoniw: The regulations enshrine functions from unretained EU directives that have been legally enforceable across Great Britain for many years. These standards are already implemented by import controls as part of a framework that protects our biosecurity. I am confident that the regulations ensure full legal and operational enforceability.
Mick Antoniw: As the First Minister has said, this is a dangerous moment. It sets a worrying precedent and is another example of the UK Government’s approach to the devolution settlements of the United Kingdom. We will do everything that we can to protect our settlement and the laws passed by this Senedd.
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the question. As currently drafted, the Bill could see UK Government Ministers given unfettered authority to legislate in devolved areas, contrary to the democratically established devolution settlement. We have reiterated, at both an official and ministerial level, to the UK Government that our devolution settlement needs to be respected and preserved.
Mick Antoniw: Well, this is a very serious Bill, a very serious piece of legislation, with very serious consequences. The concerns about those consequences, I believe, are shared across all political parties at the moment. I believe it is legislation that is ideologically driven by a small minority in Westminster, and I think there are serious consequences for all the Governments of the UK if the Bill...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. Welsh Ministers have made it clear, since the time of its introduction, that the Welsh Government is not in favour of the UK apprenticeship levy. We've worked closely with the legal sector to introduce apprenticeships that will support growth and development.
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. You've raised an important area, where Welsh Government has been looking at how it can support the development of the legal profession, those having access to it, and, ultimately, those being able to provide legal services within communities. The first thing to say about the apprenticeship levy, of course, is that it as a tax on employers, it was not one supported by us, and we get...
Mick Antoniw: Well, thank you for the question. The issue of a Senedd reform Bill is dependent on the policies being determined by this Senedd, so it's not a policy development that is being led by Government. There is considerable policy work that is going on at the moment with a view to the production of legislation. I will make statements in due course about that legislation. The objective, as you know,...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. The first thing is, we will be able to give a more definitive response once we've got to the stage of having draft legislation in front of us, to be able to look at that. And as you know, one of my obligations as Counsel General—and, again, the same with the Presiding Officer—is to actually look at the issue of competence. And again, that is a matter that also lies with the UK...
Mick Antoniw: Well, I think whatever legislation is brought before this place will only be out of competence if it goes beyond what is the statutory competence that we actually have. And if my confirmation is that I will ensure that the legislation that is brought before here will be within competence, then I don't think that the concerns that you have will arise. My intention is not to bring forward...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the question. And, of course, this is an incredibly important issue that has arisen. Can I just say, firstly, on the gender recognition issue, of course the Gender Recognition Act 2004 is a reserved matter, so we are in a different position to that which the Scottish Government is in? The comment that's been made with regard to section 35 of the Scotland Act, I suppose, also...
Mick Antoniw: What I can say is to reiterate what the First Minister said, which is that, yes, we do wish to have those powers. It is an area that we wish to legislate in. What the precise content of that legislation might be, I'm sure the detail of that would still need to be considered. Equally so, we'd need to go through the floor of this Senedd. Can I also say, just in terms of the points you made...
Mick Antoniw: I thank the Member. Whilst we have not committed to a pilot, we recognise the potential benefits of a shorter working week alongside other forms of flexible working. We are committed to working with social partners to encourage progressive working practices.
Mick Antoniw: Can I thank the Member for raising this? I think it is really important that these ideas are raised within this Chamber and questions is an appropriate way to actually do that. It does remind me that the controversy suddenly when the suggestion was made that we could potentially move to a four-day working week—I think probably that controversy existed when we moved from a seven-day working...
