<p>The Wales Bill</p>

Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Counsel General – in the Senedd at 2:23 pm on 2 November 2016.

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Photo of Mr Simon Thomas Mr Simon Thomas Plaid Cymru 2:23, 2 November 2016

I thank the Counsel General for his kind invitation to read his speeches, which I’m sure will be taken up by many Members, as many Members as those asking the questions, I’m sure. [Laughter.] When we look at the Wales Bill and recent developments, we see with the concession on the devolution of teachers’ pay and conditions that at least the door has been opened a little to improvements in the House of Lords from the original Bill, and I’m sure the Government will welcome that as much as I do. But there’s still one outstanding issue that, in my mind, doesn’t make this Bill sustainable or fit for the future, and that is the question of legal jurisdiction. The First Minister has said very clearly that he believes we can establish a separate or distinct legal jurisdiction, and that would be the best way forward. He said that on Monday night on ‘Sharp End’, which is why I was disappointed that on Monday in the House of Lords the Labour spokeswoman for Wales, who unfortunately isn’t here, though I was going to mention her under her other hat of Baroness Morgan of Ely, said that it was premature to establish a separate legal jurisdiction. Can I put it to the Counsel General, not that he will reply to this kind of political report, but could I put it to him that it’s this sort of confusion from the Government and the governing party that means that the Conservatives over there are running rings around you on the future of the constitution of the United Kingdom? But, on a legal question, does he agree with me that the legal profession at least, have come to a considered view on this by now, and they believe that it’s inevitable that we shall have two legal jurisdictions, one for England and one for Wales?