Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his very extensive statement on the consultation on the proposed reforms of taxi and private vehicle hire licensing? Obviously, it’s a moot point today because we rarely talk about taxis in this forum, and after the turmoil and carnage of Manchester last night there were several reports of individual taxi drivers, several taxi drivers in fact, just taking people away for free in a common show of humanity. That, I think, deserves recognition, given that we are discussing taxi drivers today. That’s a phenomenal piece of work in response to a dire emergency and common humanity shines through in the face of appalling carnage.

Turning to the Cabinet Secretary’s actual statement, I’ll just zone in on the paragraph concerning the enactment of the Wales Act 2017. The Cabinet Secretary says:

‘Its expected commencement early next year will for the first time, bring the licensing of taxis and private-hire vehicles within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales.’

Let me say, first of all, it’s pleasing that we are gaining some powers under the Wales Act 2017 because that’s not a universal feeling, I have to say, on these benches. By and large, we’ve lost powers. The Cabinet Secretary will be aware there’s a huge list of reserved matters now, reserved to Westminster: 193 such matters and growing. As well as that, all the matters relating to those reserved powers as well, and also to cap it all—like a triple lock if you like—the vestigial Henry VIII powers that mean any Minister of the Crown can do what they want in terms of changing legislation passed by this place. So, remembering all of that—and that’s basically anything to do with employment law, industrial relations, and enforcement is now a reserved matter and we can do nothing about it—how confident is the Cabinet Secretary that he can bring about meaningful legislation in this field to stop the exploitation of taxi drivers, for example, and also make sure that taxi drivers are obliged to take people on even short journeys as a public protection measure? Diolch yn fawr.