Did you mean representations -taxation speaker:Mr Simon Thomas?
Mr Simon Thomas: ...opening speech the reason why we brought forward this debate. Of course, when we did table this debate, we didn’t know that the Assembly itself would be voting today using a kind of proportional representation, because you’ve had a second-preference vote to choose your committee Chairs today, and you’ve accepted that you don’t get first-past-the-post all the time for everything...
Mr Simon Thomas: ...this flawed Bill? Can that debate and statement also include how we can look and examine the related implications of the Boundary Commission review of constituencies? Surely, a cut in Welsh representation must be balanced by a transfer of those major policy areas to Wales, so that we have equal policy responsibilities to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Representation in those states was...
Mr Simon Thomas: 5. What representations has the Counsel General made in relation to the Supreme Court case on Article 50? OAQ(5)0021(CG)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: 5. What representations has the Counsel General made in relation to the Supreme Court case on Article 50? OAQ(5)0021(CG)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: ...out—you have a new body that is dominated by the interests of the university sector in England, and it is also under the increased influence of Ministers in England as well, without any direct representation by Wales on that body. The response that I received from the First Minister today goes on to say further that it’s only very recently that we started discussions with the...
Mr Simon Thomas: ...with where we ended, actually, which is the UKRI and the relationship between this new body, the tertiary authority and other UK-wide bodies—they’re supposed to be UK-wide, but don’t include representation from Wales on them. We do have an establishment, the UKRI, we do have a real issue around Brexit, leaving the European Union, and European funds that were accessed directly by...
Mr Simon Thomas: ...t sense that the councils themselves are opposed to the concept of a national body. They haven’t told me that. What they have said is that what’s important is that the local voice and regional representation is maintained. So, there is a possibility here to have a national body that could merge some aspects, which may bring forward savings, if you like, in terms of bureaucracy,...
Mr Simon Thomas: ...is something that we ought now to genuinely consider along with changes to the national curriculum. Thirdly, we have to ensure that whatever we do is commensurate with or proportional to the representation that we have in the Assembly already or improves on that proportionality. And it's important to Plaid Cymru that we strike the right balance between local accountability and the fact...
Mr Simon Thomas: ...the response that the leader of the house kindly gave to me yesterday is the fact that there is little that the Welsh Government has in terms of a formal relationship with the Gambling Commission—representation on the Gambling Commission or the ability to nominate members onto the commission—and I think that's clearly something that's a lacuna here, with powers being devolved to the...
