Huw Irranca-Davies: So, Minister, thank you for the answer, and apologies for a slight diversion into history, but we know that it was in the shadow of world war two that Churchill and Mitterrand and others backed a convention, supported by 100 parliamentarians from the 12 member states of the Council of Europe, to draft this charter of human rights and establish a court to enforce it. The British MP and lawyer...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 6. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the cumulative impact of the Nationality and Borders Bill, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, and the Bill of Rights on access to justice in Wales? OQ58293
Huw Irranca-Davies: I think the cumulative impact, Counsel General, is very important. There's been much attention to the Bill of Rights Bill and the impact here today in the Senedd, quite rightly, yet this raft of UK legislation, worryingly rushed and lacking effective scrutiny at the moment, could further impact on individual citizens of Wales's access to justice by diminishing or denying that justice to the...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 8. What engagement has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government on the development of the Bill of Rights? OQ58294
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank the Counsel General for that answer. The challenges with this bill of rights being brought forward have been well rehearsed this afternoon, not least the significant risks that external observers have noted to the devolution settlements right across the UK, and also significant implications for human rights and equality, not least in terms of article 10, freedom of expression, and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 1. What plans does the Commission have to increase the proportion of committee and meeting rooms that can accommodate hybrid meetings across the Senedd estate? OQ58295
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch yn fawr iawn. Thank you very much for that answer. It's good to see the work that has been going on already, and that continues to go on, to increase the proportion of rooms that can be used in hybrid format, because, as we all know, it seems to be that we will have to use this as a modern way of working now, and certainly as we go into the autumn and winter. Is it realistic to expect...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer; I apologise.
Huw Irranca-Davies: I simply want to come in on the back of Luke's comments there, because there is a fair degree of confidence that the Minister has expressed in Bridgend, and also in the Rhondda Cynon Taf patch of my constituency as well, in their WESP plans going forward. But I met with Meurig, the award-winning headteacher, the other day, and I think he would really welcome a visit, alongside Huw David, the...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you, Minister. We considered this suite of regulations during our meeting yesterday and laid our report straight after.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Minister, for your kind comments about the work that we've done and the engagement that you've had with us on this. In respect of your opening remarks, we do love 'technical and complex'. The suite of regulations today is part of the third tranche of subordinate legislation required to support the implementation of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Our technical reporting point...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. Far from the weighty policy matters here, we've got some technical and merits points to raise in terms of making Welsh law accessible first. The Order is made in exercise of the power in section 81(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Article 2(2) of the Order provides that the reference in section 81(1) of the Act to '30 miles per hour' is to be interpreted as a...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Lywydd, and for the final time today, Minister. [Laughter.] We considered these regulations yesterday afternoon, and our report contains two merits reporting points. While we have not sought a Welsh Government response to those points, our second merits point comments on an important matter that is worth highlighting to the Senedd. As the Minister has said, these regulations amend...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Llyr, will you take an intervention?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch yn fawr iawn. He raises an important point that the LJC committee raised, but, actually, we looked to the Minister to make amendments to this piece of legislation now in order to be able to deal with issues that have already been taken forward in the UK Parliament and so on in terms of tax issues, but we also said, 'Look at the future about what can be done.' And just to commend the...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Will the Minister give way on that point?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Minister, for giving way. One of the reassurances the Minister could give to the Senedd today, in the collaborative way that she has taken forward these changes to the existing legislation and proposals for what comes forward—. In those proposals of what comes next, will she give the reassurance to the Senedd today that she will work with the relevant committees and with Senedd...
Huw Irranca-Davies: It's only to make a very simple point in terms of manifestos: manifestos are for the term, the duration of a whole Senedd, not for delivery on day one. Although I have to say, five of the key points that we had in Labour's manifesto have already been delivered, along with other ones that were part of the co-operation agreement. We'll get there on the other things.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Jane, thank you for giving way so generously. Would you note as well that there is actually a small but significant voice in the Conservative right that actually supports UBI on the basis of freeing people and giving them the ability to be entrepreneurial, to stand on their feet, to experiment, to create their own lives? We have heard none of that today or ever from these benches in any of...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I welcome this opportunity to speak in this Finance Committee debate on the Welsh Government’s spending priorities for 2023-24, and drawing on the committee’s experience of its first ever budget scrutiny on the 2022-23 draft budget. The reason I'm speaking is very focused on the issue of justice, but I would say just in passing that it's great to hear the contributions already in terms of...
