Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:15 pm on 3 October 2017.
I also want to endorse the comments that have already been made, if truth be told, and to put on record my dissatisfaction with the way in which this regulatory impact assessment came into being. We accept now that it’s reached a point where we can support it, but these changes and the fact that we needed to go back to the figures and work on them again has had an impact on the scrutiny process of the committee in not being able to scrutinise the final RIA side by side with the Bill.
It’s also undermined the confidence of many people in the sector, and perhaps more broadly, in the ability of this place to develop the relevant documentation around legislation, as is necessary, and to do so in a robust manner and in an appropriate manner, and that is regrettable too. The significant differences in the original costs and the final costs do highlight, I think, the problems that have taken place.
Just to say, in conclusion, the fact that we are here just hours before we discuss amendments at Stage 2, at the very last moment, to all purposes, doesn’t reflect well on the Welsh Government or on this place. As the Chair of the Finance Committee said, I think there are lessons to be learnt and I very much hope that the Government will learn those lessons.