Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:22 pm on 9 May 2017.
I think that many of us have had to suffer these wraparounds that have appeared in many of our constituencies across Wales. I will make some very factual points about the fact that political advertising isn’t covered by the Advertising Standards Authority. It’s not permitted, as Members will be aware, on television under the Communications Act 2003, but is allowed in print. It was covered by the ASA until 1999, when the Committee of Advertising Practice decided to exclude it. Also, the Human Rights Act 1998 did lead to concerns about controls on freedom of political expression. But I think the crucial point as well that has to be made is that costs of advertising must be declared in central party election returns to the Electoral Commission. So, that is an important point for public scrutiny. But none of those factual points mean that there shouldn’t be a debate on this issue, of course, and, if there was widespread support for that from across the Chamber, I think we would want to move forward. Because, clearly, the need for balance and fairness in reflecting Welsh politics is what we all seek to achieve.