Mick Antoniw: Well, thank you for your comments. I always worry when someone starts off their speech with 'with the greatest respect', which then means they're going to proceed with absolutely no respect whatsoever. I also then get a bit worried when the person then says about a commission that is seven female to four male, that it's 'jobs for the boys', and I wonder when you wrote the speech whether you...
Mick Antoniw: Can I thank the Member for his comments and contributions? We have indeed been on a devolution journey that continues, and society continually changes. Constitutions continually change. Nothing remains static. You asked a number of quite important questions. The expert panel in terms of the size, and so on, I think I'll probably put out a written statement in due course when there's further...
Mick Antoniw: Can I thank you for those points? They’re all valid points and raise important issues—issues that we’ve been giving a lot of thought to over the past couple of months, and have been the subject of considerable discussion. Just firstly on the constitution, the constitution is at the core of almost everything that is happening at the moment: Brexit, the trade and co-operation agreement,...
Mick Antoniw: Collectively, they represent both the traditional academic rigour and the new alternative perspectives that the commission will require to think creatively and radically about Wales's future. I welcome the constructive engagement that I was able to have with other parties in the Senedd, as we looked to develop the membership of the commission, and I'm pleased that the membership encompasses a...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Last month, I announced the appointment of the co-chairs to the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. I am delighted to be able to come back to the Senedd to announce the appointment of the commissioners. Each commissioner brings different strengths, knowledge, experience and perspectives. They come from all parts of Wales, across...
Mick Antoniw: It is always difficult, Dirprwy Lywydd, when you have the Conservatives behind you and you can't see what they're up to. [Laughter.] Dirprwy Lywydd, if this was happening in Russia, we would be calling it by what it is: corruption, and an attack on democracy and an undermining of the rule of law. That is exactly what it is, and we must wake up to what the Tories are doing. And I think the...
Mick Antoniw: I think that sums up the position of a lot of young people and comments I had yesterday. Can I also make this point? Darren Millar said 'Well, you know, if you're so concerned about this, why aren't you legislating?' Well, that's the whole point. We will be legislating. What we are doing is saying to the UK Government that we don't want their proposals to apply to the Welsh elections—that...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I just, before I get into my main summation, say that I attended Coleg Gwent yesterday in Blaenau Gwent, in the Member's consistency, and met a fairly substantial group of young people, and can I say how impressed I was by them? But, one of them sent me an e-mail, which I received this morning, and I'd just like to read this, because it answers some of the...
Mick Antoniw: Llywydd, when some 50 per cent of the population fail to vote in our elections regularly or at all, I suggest that the democratic health of our country is not good. There is no silver-bullet solution to this long-standing decline in civic participation, but I do not believe that looking for ways to put obstacles in the way of people being able to participate is the way forward. The Welsh...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It's a pleasure to open this debate today on voter inclusion. In looking at the health of our society, of course we consider things such as poverty, equality, employment, social well-being, health, culture and language. Our innovative legislation, which is recognised across the world, namely the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, notes the...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. I've already indicated, I think, in the past the need for and my desire for and belief that we will have an electoral reform Bill within the term of this Senedd, the purpose of which will be to modernise our electoral system to improve accessibility, to learn from the lessons that exist internationally that can provide access to people, whether it be people with disability or in...
Mick Antoniw: I thank Jane Dodds for her question. The Welsh Government is committed to inclusive and accessible voting in Senedd and local government elections, and wants to encourage participation rather than to restrict it. We will therefore not be introducing voter ID measures in Wales for devolved elections.
Mick Antoniw: Well, thank you for that and, yes, I do agree with the recommendation. Of course, the recommendation was made within the context of the further devolution of justice. I'd also perhaps reaffirm the comments that you made with regard to the impact of cuts to legal aid. This is something I've raised nearly every time I've had meetings with relevant judiciary and law officers. It's a matter that...
Mick Antoniw: I thank the Member for his question. I published a written statement on justice on 30 September, and, just over 10 days ago, I had the privilege of addressing delegates at the Legal Wales conference, during which I reaffirmed our commitment to pursue the case for the devolution of justice and policing.
Mick Antoniw: —not only that devolution was a mistake, but, actually, where you have a Government that fails to recognise the actual strength that comes from the decentralisation of power and the empowerment of people and communities, and how devolution is good for democracy, and it is a pity that we currently have a Prime Minister who has not only made those comments, but has never properly retracted...
Mick Antoniw: I thank the Member for those comments and I think he's absolutely right; it is no accident, in my view. When you look at the cumulative effect and the combination of legislation in particular areas, it seems to me there is a concerted strategy. I think it's a strategy that arises from the fact that we have a Government that basically dislikes devolution and thinks devolution was a mistake....
Mick Antoniw: Well, wherever UK Government legislation arises that has an impact on devolution or has a connection with devolved responsibilities, the issue of laying legislative consent memoranda arises. And, of course, these are an obligation; they're not a choice. I think the question that the Member rightly I think is getting at, though, is of course the nature of that legislation and the extent to...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the question. The cumulative impact of current UK Government Bills on the devolution settlement is very concerning. The Welsh Government is working with the UK Government to seek changes to those Bills that do not respect devolution.
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the supplementary question. I think, by my understanding, there are still quite a few lawyers around who have never touched a computer, but I'm sure that changes with time. I think you're absolutely right—we're already beginning to have the experience of the digital developments in terms of giving evidence, in terms of the transmission of evidence, digital use in the way in...
Mick Antoniw: Thank you for the question on the law council of Wales. We have been clear from the outset that it is essential the law council is fully independent of Government. While we have facilitated its inception, the Welsh Government will not be a member of the council, and it will be for the council to determine its constitution and its working arrangements.
