Mick Antoniw: No, I'm not coming to that conclusion, because the two matters have been intertwined and have now become a matter of ministerial scrutiny, and also the separation of powers. I think I will lay it out further when I develop my argument in respect of the rules of natural justice, which I think actually also deal with the point. In that case, the rules were clearly laid out—justice must not...
Mick Antoniw: Presiding Officer, as Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative—[Interruption.] As Chair—
Mick Antoniw: Thank you, Presiding Officer. As Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, I am automatically a member of the Committee for Scrutiny of the First Minister. At the outset—and solely in that capacity—I wish to make clear that I've decided to oppose the Conservative motion and support the establishment by the Welsh Government of a panel of independent advisers to provide...
Mick Antoniw: Cabinet Secretary, one of the areas of concern I have about the support that we give relates to that of residential care. I have an ex-serviceman in my constituency who's done numerous tours in Northern Ireland and various parts of the world and significantly suffers from post-traumatic stress, but he's had no success in finding the residential care place that he needs locally, only being...
Mick Antoniw: Cabinet Secretary, there have been quite a number of significant housing developments, or proposed developments, in the Taff Ely and Pontypridd area. One of the issues, of course, that arises during that process is the capacity in respect of local public services. In particular, I have in mind general practitioner services. Will they be able to cope with the actual additional housing in that...
Mick Antoniw: Can I ask for a Welsh Government statement on the impact on our communities of the recent budget and the inherent cuts to police spending and police numbers in Wales? We know that already, since 2010, there has been a £2.3 billion cut by the UK Government in policing, with the loss of 20,000 officers, and we know that inherent in this current budget is a further £800 million of real-terms...
Mick Antoniw: First Minister, one of the things that first-time buyers in Monmouth share with those in Taff Ely and Pontypridd is the growth of leasehold properties—properties being sold by leasehold creating a whole series of financial issues in respect of ground rent, and in respect of the subsequent reversions or when the periods of years begin to expire. Do you agree with me that the growth of...
Mick Antoniw: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the benefits of the south Wales metro to Pontypridd?
Mick Antoniw: Thank you. We're not very good in Wales at celebrating some of our most famous sons and daughters. Often they are better known outside Wales than inside, and this must change. Gareth Jones is celebrated in Ukraine for being one of the few journalists to expose the Holodomor in the years of 1931-32—Holodomor, death by starvation, Stalin's artificial famine, which led to the death of an...
Mick Antoniw: Cabinet Secretary, isn't it the problem that it is not just the economic threat to Wales of no deal, but also the economic threat of the type of deal that we might actually end up with the Government negotiating, and that the offer by the Government recently to the Westminster Parliament of a parliamentary vote, on a 'take it or leave it' basis, is a totally meaningless gesture, and it is...
Mick Antoniw: First Minister, I very much welcome the Welsh Government and Rhondda Cynon Taf council investment along areas such as the A4119. But no matter how much we invest in the roads there, they are becoming a congested noose around the Taff-Ely and the Rhondda area in terms of traffic. The only real solution has got to be the extension of the metro, as has been outlined, in respect of Beddau through...
Mick Antoniw: I just wanted to say a few words, because he was well known in the Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Taff Ely area, and it was a tribute to Carl that, as a proud north Walian, the people of Pontypridd and Taff Ely were never able to hold that against him. He was down in my constituency, in Rhydyfelin, only a couple of weeks ago on a childcare issue, and we were there, we were lined up, the tv...
Mick Antoniw: I do, and I think the point you make is an extremely important one because it goes to the root of the misunderstanding of the issues of jurisdiction and the divergence between Welsh law and English law. It is not a question of saying who should have the jurisdiction—should it be the UK Parliament, should it be the Welsh Assembly, or whatever; it’s a recognition of what the law actually is...
Mick Antoniw: The first thing is, in terms of the ambition for a separate justice system, which you referred to, the ambition actually is related to the proper and most effective administration of justice. One of the complications, as I’ve said before, over the arguments over a separate jurisdiction are that it has almost achieved some sort of philosophical and catechismal status. A jurisdiction is...
Mick Antoniw: The First Minister announced on 18 September that he was setting up a commission on justice in Wales to review the justice system and policing and to consider how the system can achieve better outcomes for Wales.
Mick Antoniw: The demands of the Welsh Government are those that are set out in the amendments, which would actually resolve the flaws in the legislation itself. The First Minister made a very clear statement about them, and those amendments are available to be seen. They are essentially demands that just require the consent of the Welsh and Scottish Governments in those areas where there is a taking over...
Mick Antoniw: The first thing is to thank the Member for his offer of the paper. I have looked at the paper, and I agree very much with its content and its analysis, which very much reflects, I think, also the analysis that’s been included in the statement of the First Minister to this Chamber. And I think it’s an analysis that has considerable common ground across all those within the legal...
Mick Antoniw: Well, this question engages the law officers’ convention, as the Member will know. Nevertheless, I can say that the Welsh Government has considerable concerns with the Bill, particularly in terms of the approach it takes towards devolution. I can assure Members that the Welsh Government is working tirelessly to ensure that Wales’s position is protected.
Mick Antoniw: Well, the first thing is the Supreme Court itself has, since 2015, recognised very much the issue of diversity. And the current President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, has also said on a number of occasions that the courts have to be representative of society in general, and that they were not, and that it was important that that increasing diversity took place, in terms of gender, and in...
Mick Antoniw: I have made representations to the Supreme Court about improving the diversity of the judiciary. I welcome very much the recent appointments of Lady Hale as president of the Supreme Court, the first ever female Supreme Court president, and Lady Black to the Supreme Court, and, as I’ve previously indicated, I also welcome the appointment of Lord Lloyd-Jones as the first Welsh Supreme Court judge.
