Mick Antoniw: Carwyn Jones.
Mick Antoniw: First Minister, in the last session we discussed the courts closure programme and I raised with you specifically the issue with regard to the Pontypridd magistrates’ court, more from the perspective around Wales of what is a cost-cutting exercise with courts, but one that is restricting access to justice for some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities. First Minister, I wonder...
Mick Antoniw: 7. Will the Welsh Government consider making representations to the UK Government in support of calls by Welsh miners and the South Wales NUM for an inquiry into the events at Orgreave in June 1984? OAQ(5)0026(FM)
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. I met with the Home Secretary as a member of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign and, in fact, received a very positive meeting with her in the latter part of last year. Since then, very detailed submissions have been lodged. Of course, since then, there’s been the Hillsborough verdict and, of course, the direct link between events in Orgreave...
Mick Antoniw: First Minister, I think we have to welcome the tone of the Secretary of State for Wales’s statement because it does indicate a willingness to work to improve to actually achieve a common objective of actually working legislation. If that actually happens, then that will be a good thing. Can I say that I do have considerable concerns about the approach to the jurisdiction issue? Because, for...
Mick Antoniw: Cabinet Secretary, the link between accident and emergency challenges and the support for adult social care is well established. We’ve seen the crisis that’s occurred in accident and emergency admissions in England because of an 8 per cent real-terms cut in support for adult social care. What steps are the Welsh Government taking to ensure there is adequate support for adult social care...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for taking the intervention. Of course, I listened to the interview that person actually made, and when he was challenged on it he said he couldn’t give any guarantee. Are you saying he could give a guarantee or do you agree with him that he cannot give a guarantee, just a wish list?
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for taking the intervention. Of course, one of the arguments that you haven’t mentioned is the importance of workers’ rights protection through Europe. You were a member of the Thatcher Government in the 1980s that devastated trade unions, that smashed workers’ rights, that smashed the National Union of Mineworkers and the coal industry; do you not think that before there can...
Mick Antoniw: Would you take an intervention? Thank you for taking the intervention. So, if your argument, constitutionally, is that you support an independent UK, do you also then support an independent and separate Wales?
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this again. This is subject matter that we will undoubtedly be discussing line by line in detail, because this is of massive importance really. If we don’t know the framework of our powers in which we operate, how can we possibly develop properly policy for the future and represent the people who elect us? I do welcome this Bill, in the sense that...
Mick Antoniw: I think the Member is absolutely right that there are sections within the Bill reserved that it’s not quite clear exactly what they do mean. For example, why, in section 175, would you have parenthood, parental responsibility, child arrangements and adoption as a reserved matter when, clearly, there are major responsibilities we have that overlap into those areas? And there are a number of...
Mick Antoniw: If that proposal is one where the objective is the destruction of the United Kingdom, then is the devolution of policing to Manchester aimed at destroying the structure of England?
Mick Antoniw: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on the protection given to Welsh workers as a result of our EU membership? OAQ(5)0070(FM)
Mick Antoniw: First Minister, in 1975, we joined the EU. In 1977, the EU issued a directive to protect workers transferring from one undertaking to another, which, in 1981, became the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, which have given protection to hundreds of thousands of Welsh workers over those several decades. In fact, when it turned out a Tory Government didn’t...
Mick Antoniw: Can I firstly thank you for the question—in fact, the two questions that you submitted? I will just make the comment that I noticed that, since I’ve had this appointment, the number of questions has actually halved. I think we spent the past five years thinking of imaginative ways of asking questions of the Counsel General to elicit an answer and I’ll do my best to spend the next five...
Mick Antoniw: Of course, the convention and the Human Rights Act 1998 are rights that we have to incorporate into our own Welsh legislation. In fact, the UK Government has to do the same with its own legislation. Of course, we had the comments today from the Secretary of State for Wales that there was going to be the introduction of a bill of rights. I imagine that you as well, along with many others, met...
Mick Antoniw: I think the Member will appreciate that I’ve only been in position for seven days, so it’ll be no surprise that I have had no discussions with other law officers on this matter, but it is clear that withdrawal from the EU is a massive constitutional shift for the UK. It will also have far-reaching implications for the devolution settlement.
Mick Antoniw: It’s a very important supplementary question that you raise. I know that Welsh Government departments are already starting this particular process, and I am as well, because there are many aspects and complications around this whole process. For example, we don’t know what approach the UK Government is going to adopt to Brexit—for example, what the procedure might be for actually...
Mick Antoniw: Members will understand that this answer is subject to the established law officers’ convention, which exists to protect the confidentiality of my legal adviser role. So, whereas as I can’t say whether I’ve had any discussions, I can certainly tell you that it’s a very early stage, and I haven’t had any meetings at all yet on any matter. But I can say that the Welsh Government is...
Mick Antoniw: It is worth reiterating what article 50 says. It provides for a member state notifying the European Council of its intention to leave. There is then a two-year period to reach an exit agreement, which will require a qualified majority of the European Council, and then the consent of the European Parliament. If agreement is not reached, membership and treaties are automatically terminated at...
