Rhys ab Owen: 1. What discussions has the Counsel General had with the Lord Chancellor on the devolution of justice? OQ58814
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Cwnsler Cyffredinol. We've had the tenth Lord Chancellor in 12 years; I think beforehand we had 10 in half a century. But the opinion polls consistently suggest that, after the next general election, there'll be a Labour Lord Chancellor in Westminster. As was highlighted yesterday, in the 2017 Labour Westminster manifesto, it supported full devolution of justice. In 2019 that...
Rhys ab Owen: 4. Will the Counsel General provide an update on the reform of the Welsh Tribunals? OQ58818
Rhys ab Owen: Thank you very much, Counsel General. Many people say that there is no justice jurisdiction in Wales. Well, that's not true. There is a small justice jurisdiction in Wales, which is through the tribunals system. Given that it's a year since the publication of the Law Commission's report on how to improve the Welsh tribunals, and given it's entirely within the powers of the Welsh Government to...
Rhys ab Owen: 8. What discussions has the Welsh Government had about making Cardiff an attractive tourism destination for Welsh and international visitors? OQ58879
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. Cardiff docks made Cardiff into a capital city by exporting coal to the whole world. Today, we are fortunate to welcome people back to Cardiff Bay, and it's a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. I've received a number of complaints that we're not maximising the potential of Cardiff Bay. The impression given to tourists enjoying the boardwalk around the...
Rhys ab Owen: 4. What discussions has the Counsel General had about ensuring that the UK COVID-19 public inquiry has access to the expertise of the Welsh legal sector? OQ58987
Rhys ab Owen: If I could draw Members' attention to my declaration of interest. Of the 12 King's Counsel appointed and the 50 junior barristers appointed to the UK COVID inquiry, not one is based in Wales. That, of course, is not the position for Scotland or Northern Ireland. They would never put up with that, would they, Cwnsler Cyffredinol? Wales, once again, seems to be the forgotten nation—surely...
Rhys ab Owen: 7. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government regarding the impact of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on the Welsh public sector? OQ58986
Rhys ab Owen: Yes, I did.
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr. I'm not quite sure why those hadn't been grouped together. Of course, this Bill does extend to Wales and, as you suggested, grants sweeping powers to the Secretary of State in Whitehall. At length in the previous Bill, safety was discussed; well, safety has been removed completely. Public safety has been removed completely from this Bill. A Secretary of State sitting in...
Rhys ab Owen: 9. What discussions has the First Minister had with the UK Government following the announcement of levelling-up funds for railways in Cardiff? OQ59036
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Trefnydd. The public transport expert, Mark Barry, said recently that the £50 million contribution towards the Cardiff cross-rail is only a drop in the water of the £500 million that is needed for the cross-rail to go from Cardiff Bay to Llantrisant. It also doesn't help with the inadequacy of the service—not having four trains per hour from half of the Cardiff stations...
Rhys ab Owen: It's clear, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, from the interim report that the current devolution settlement is both dysfunctional and wholly inadequate for the needs of the people of Wales. What is also clear is that the commission will face an uphill struggle to persuade a Westminster Government of any colour that fundamental change is needed. I read last week your interview with the Law Society...
Rhys ab Owen: Two written statements, please, Trefnydd, firstly with regard to Madrid, which is trying to encircle itself with a 75 km urban forest to mitigate the climate emergency and to improve biodiversity. There's a similar idea being put forward by campaigners here in Cardiff for the city to become a new park city, with large country parks on the outskirts of the city in areas such as St Fagans,...
Rhys ab Owen: 4. What recent discussions has the Minister had with the UK Government regarding building safety? OQ59080
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. I was disappointed in hearing your answer to my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders that you're yet to receive a response to your request to meet Michael Gove. I hope he will respond to you very soon. Minister, I read your article in Welsh Housing Quarterly, and in that you set out further action on building safety. I was pleased to see that some remediation work has...
Rhys ab Owen: What discussions has the Minister had with local authorities to ensure that all staff working in Welsh-medium schools have Welsh language skills?
Rhys ab Owen: 8. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding the UK budget in March? OQ59123
Rhys ab Owen: Thank you very much, Trefnydd. A fortnight ago, I raised with you the need for £500 million to ensure that Crossrail Cardiff goes from the bay to Llantrisant. With The Times reporting on Friday that the costs of HS2 have now reached £72 billion, how determined is the Welsh Government to ensure that we in Wales receive the Barnett consequential from this major project? Thank you.
