Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:08 pm on 8 June 2016.
I thank the First Minister for his statement. I had hoped, First Minister, that this would be the final piece of legislation that the UK, in the Parliament that I occasionally visit, would pass on the Welsh constitution, but it appears to me that we haven’t reached that point as of yet. So, in asking my question to you, and in asking for your support in your response, I’m going to set a challenge for our colleagues beyond Paddington station to use the time between this debate today, which is the first full public debate on this particular Bill, and the Third Reading in the House of Lords at the end of the process and the passing of the Bill, to amend this Bill sufficiently so that it can be full constitutional legislation to change the circumstances of Wales.
I do think that there are enough seeds sown in this Bill to allow that to happen. I will give you one example in a brief question: the recognition of Welsh law. Now, we know that there is Welsh law because we make it here. So, thank you very much, Westminster, for acknowledging that there is such a thing as Welsh law. But we do have to move further. Therefore, can you tell us how you intend to report back on your interesting negotiations with the Secretary of State and the UK Government during the period between what we’re doing now and the end of the parliamentary process so that we reach that point that you and I both want to reach: having a relatively final and clear piece of legislation so that we don’t return to legislating on the Welsh constitution every three years?