Neil McEvoy: 6. What legal representations has the Counsel General made on behalf of the Welsh Government in relation to the UK internal market Bill? OQ55722
John Griffiths: ...that is shining a spotlight on the importance of having a safe and secure place to call home. The Welsh Government has said that the heart of this Bill is the aim to improve security of tenure. Not everybody agrees this Bill will—[Inaudible.]—but, as a committee, we were convinced of the merits of this approach. We heard a range of evidence suggesting that strengthening security of...
Lee Waters: ...points in reverse order: yes, these are local authority powers, therefore it'll be for local authorities to decide how to deploy them and they, of course, will get any revenue that is raised. We do not see this as a revenue-raising measure; this is something for local authorities, their judgment about how to use it best to respond to local representations, as I think that's right. In terms...
Hannah Blythyn: I thank the Member for her questions. If I first touch on the issue of wet wipes, it was remiss of me not to pick that up in my response to Janet Finch-Saunders as well. The single-use plastics consultation here is perhaps a first phase in a phased approach at tackling problematic single-use plastics, and, within that consultation, we invite people to suggest perhaps things that they think...
Jane Hutt: Yes, I'm trying to unmute myself. Can you hear me now? I'm really glad that I've actually delivered on my answer to the question from Laura Anne Jones, but this is a very serious issue for us, not just in terms of Government and what the Minister for Housing and Local Government is doing to promote the opportunities for diversity, particularly, I would say, in local government, but also in...
Mark Drakeford: ...is properly known to them. It is then for them to make sure that they minimise risks both to the defendants and to other people who are working in the courts system, and we will continue to make representations to the UK Government to ensure that court premises in Wales are safe for all of those who need to use them.
Dawn Bowden: ...was disturbed to hear that people appearing before the courts in Cardiff at weekends may have been transferred from areas like Merthyr Tydfil and mid and west Wales, and held in conditions that are not compliant with Welsh COVID regulations. I further understand that some 16 solicitors working in the courts in Cardiff have also made representations to the courts service with their concerns...
David Lloyd: ...at the beginning of this debate, and the clerks and researchers for their very hard work over many months? This committee was formed following a decision of this Senedd. I regret, therefore, that not all parties participated in the activities of the committee, although it was a Senedd decision. The decisions of this Senedd should be respected. The vast majority of the detailed evidence...
Huw Irranca-Davies: ...so with real skill, and with the help of an exemplary small team of clerks, despite the unexpected disruption of a pandemic and some local political challenges. I'll reserve my remarks on that for another day, but I simply note that I feel it is incumbent on all political parties in this place to engage with the arguments and the evidence no matter how difficult politically that is. And...
Siân Gwenllian: ...is great and detailed work that's been done by Members and committee staff. It is disappointing, despite that, that we by now have missed the opportunity in this Senedd to act on the evidence of another very detailed piece of work that was done at the start of the fifth Senedd under the chairship of Laura McAllister, and adding to the evidence of the need to strengthen the Senedd and to...
Helen Mary Jones: ...were highlighting the dangers of a 'no deal' Brexit as potentially very serious for their future. This, obviously, has a big effect potentially on the Trostre steel plant in Llanelli. What further representations can the Welsh Government make to the UK Government with regard to the importance of retaining the steel industry here in Wales, and those parts of it that are in the mid and west...
Michelle Brown: ...who have suffered abuse who need legal aid to get a much-needed divorce. They may feel a misplaced embarrassment about suffering the abuse. They may feel they have to prove it took place. They may not have reported it to the police, and be concerned that raising such allegations may inflame the situation again, something they live in fear of. Now I appreciate that the issue of legal aid is...
Jane Hutt: ...also chose to address the contribution of the socioeconomic factors to the virus head on, responding to Emmanuel Ogbonna's report and his group—an acknowledgement that medical data could not explain the disproportionate impact on BAME people alone. A report of the socioeconomic group set out the entrenched inequalities experienced by black, Asian and minority ethnic people, which...
Hannah Blythyn: ...conscious of the pressures on industry as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. It would therefore have been difficult for stakeholders to engage with and respond to a full consultation, and representations were received from industry that a consultation would not be welcome at this time. The bulk of the measures are also relatively small, technical changes, and implementing...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I thank Laura Anne Jones for that question, which is a proper and serious question that I know my colleague Ken Skates is thinking about and will have heard the representations from Monmouthshire. When I last spoke with Peter Fox, the Conservative leader of Monmouthshire, he was clear that local lockdown restrictions were not yet required in that county, and I hope that we will be...
Angela Burns: ...views that uncertainty existed around whether Natural Resources Wales complied with principles of public law and state-aid rules. What makes these findings worse is that the lessons were not learnt, because 18 months later the Public Accounts Committee repeated its criticism. They found that there were a number of concerning issues around the awarding of these timber contracts that were...
Huw Irranca-Davies: ...at the earliest opportunity, and that new or revised proposals would be subject to public consultation. So, could I ask, Minister, would that consultation also take into account any further representations by the Children's Commissioner for Wales or by child and safeguarding organisations on how these proposals—recognising they're primarily focused on educational support—can also...
12. The Representation of the People (Electoral Register Publication Date) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020
Elin Jones: We will recommence with item 12 on our agenda, the Representation of the People (Electoral Register Publication Date) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020. I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion. The Minister—Julie James.
Leanne Wood: ...due to COVID-19, but I know this isn't the case with all refusals. In one instance, one company told a customer that advice from the Welsh Government is irrelevant and they only accept advice not to travel from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Now, I hope your Government will agree with me that Welsh-imposed restrictions shouldn't be considered any less than Westminster-imposed ones....
