7. 7. Statement: The Legislative Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:45 pm on 28 June 2016.

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Photo of Suzy Davies Suzy Davies Conservative 4:45, 28 June 2016

Thank you, First Minister, for your statement. First of all, can I just begin by associating myself with the comments made about the potential of an autism Act? I’m pleased to say that, even just in this last month or so, you’ve moved your position from this time in May saying that you were hoping to avoid the need for a separate Bill, as that might take more time, to the more attractive proposition in your answer to Andrew R.T. Davies last week, saying that you’re actively considering an autism Act and believe that it needs consideration separate from other legislation. So, I’m pleased about that.

However, you mentioned in reply to Simon Thomas earlier on that that was partly, or due, to some degree, to the liaison committee that you have with Plaid Cymru at the moment, and I wonder if you could just explain whether that liaison committee has helped you conclude that an Act is needed or whether they are influential, in any particular way, about the content of that Act. Because if it’s the latter, I think that leads us to one of the initial difficulties with this committee, outside a formal coalition, in as much as one opposition has the opportunity to influence legislation before it is drafted when the rest of us don’t. If that is the case, can you just confirm that you’ll be prepared for any Act that comes out to first draft, via this process, to be presented to the relevant committee for pre-legislative scrutiny, so that all opposition parties get the opportunity to influence Government legislation before it’s drafted?

My second question relates to the right to buy. I don’t propose to enter into the rights and wrongs of that, but speaking speculatively, if the UK Government were to identify a pot of money to help the English right-to-buy system work more effectively, or to help housing associations carry on with the legislation—sorry, the processes that they’re looking at now, would you be expecting some kind of a Barnettisation from that pot of money to come to Wales? I’m rather hoping that you’ll say ‘no’. I appreciate that this is just a hypothetical question, but I think it’s one worth answering, because if you were to say ‘yes’ to that, there’d be a question, wouldn’t there, about why Wales wouldn’t be raising its own money in those circumstances, towards contributing to its housing stock? Thank you.