Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. What progress has the Welsh Government made in relation to the pledge to provide a work, education or training offer for all under 25s set out in the Welsh Labour manifesto of 2021? OQ57409
Huw Irranca-Davies: First Minister, on the back of the announcements of the new measures, some of which we're familiar with from before, but it is a different package, I, like many Members of the Senedd, am having hundreds of enquiries of different types, a very diverse nature, affecting businesses and organisations. I just wonder, on the basis that we are heading now into the Christmas period, in addition to...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank all of those who've contributed to this important debate this afternoon. It's good to see that we have consensus on such an important matter as the inter-institutional relations agreement and inter-governmental working. It is vitally important that we have good scrutiny here in the Senedd of the transparency and accountability that has been mentioned as two of the three principles,...
Huw Irranca-Davies: The inter-institutional relations agreement between the Senedd and the Welsh Government, freshly remade for this sixth Senedd, is not as bland or as niche as its title may suggest. It is an important agreement, relevant to all Senedd committees and applicable to all Welsh Ministers.
Huw Irranca-Davies: While my committee, building on the work of its predecessor, has taken the lead, the agreement represents the settled position on the information that the Welsh Government will provide to the Senedd as a whole with regard to Welsh Ministers' participation in the formal, ministerial-level inter-governmental meetings, the agreements, concordats, and the memorandums of understanding. Such...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, we will continue to hold the Welsh Government to account firmly on its use of legislative consent memoranda, and we'll do so in the interests not only of good constitutional practice, but also, Welsh democracy. Thank you very much.
Huw Irranca-Davies: I am speaking today as Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. I'm contributing to this debate because of the responsibilities my committee has in reporting on legislative consent memoranda referred to us by the Business Committee.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Let me recognise at the outset that not all memoranda, or LCMs, are the same. Some will relate to areas where there may indeed be sufficient and appropriate reasons for the UK Government to be permitted to legislate in devolved areas. For others, we recognise that the current UK Government is and has been seeking to legislate in devolved areas against the wishes of the Welsh Government, and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, I really welcome that initial response. There's no doubting the Welsh Government's ambitions on behalf of the people of Wales. But one of the interesting things, when we look at this aspect of taking a stake in energy generation and energy efficiency, is that very often you will see—and I would support this as a co-operative member—the idea of share models, where you could...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 1. What consideration does the Minister give to enabling the Welsh Government and local authorities to actively invest in energy generation and energy efficiency when allocating funding to the climate change portfolio? OQ57354
Huw Irranca-Davies: What action is the Minister taking to reduce the impact of agricultural pollution on the quality of Welsh rivers and waterways?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Llywydd. We issued our reports on the first memorandum and the supplementary memorandum, memorandum No. 2, last week. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time for us to consider memorandum No. 3 and report on it.
Huw Irranca-Davies: I'd better point out at the beginning of this that I sometimes feel like a legalistic and constitutional Jeremiah sometimes, but we do want to make clear as a committee that our intention is not only to signal where we have concerns, but also, constructively highlight areas which may well help avoid these regular challenges from the committee, some of which are now following a clear and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Llywydd and thank you, Minister. We considered these regulations at our meeting yesterday, and our report was laid immediately afterwards.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Our report raised what Members will now recognise as quite familiar merits points under Standing Order 21.3, namely highlighting any potential interference with human rights and the lack of formal consultation. Our third merits reporting point notes that the explanatory memorandum accompanying the regulations makes no reference to an equality impact assessment. We asked the Welsh Government...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, First Minister. I recognise that swimming against the tide, but there is so much more we can do with a Welsh Government programme as well that actively invests in these communities. I know that places like Caerau, great communities like Caerau in my constituency, were the first to see Flying Start investment. We had the investment in childcare for working families in places like...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. How will the Welsh Government help tackle structural health, social and economic disadvantage in areas of acute and multiple deprivation? OQ57355
Huw Irranca-Davies: Just tell us. Just tell us why.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Population growth? [Members of the Senedd: 'Oh.'] Unbelievable.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Would you give way on that?
