4. What discussions has the Counsel General had in relation to making the laws of Wales more accessible? OAQ52634

Making Welsh law more accessible continues to be a priority. We are finalising a legislation Bill that is intended to formalise the Government’s long-term commitment to simplifying Welsh law and making it more accessible. I intend to introduce the Bill before the end of this year.

Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. I know you spoke at the Bevan Foundation event recently at the Eisteddfod on these issues, and you talked about how access to justice, and the accessibility of our laws, are fundamental requirements of the rule of law. It's how people have their voices heard, exercise their rights, challenge discrimination and hold decision makers to account. But would you agree that, very sadly, as alluded to by my colleague Mick Antoniw earlier, under this UK Tory Government we have gone backwards on those important principles? Could you therefore confirm that promoting and protecting access to justice is a constant theme for the laws created by this Welsh Parliament?

Absolutely. I believe very strongly that, whether it's in this place, or in the UK Parliament, where rights are created for individuals, and a responsibility is imposed on others, we have to ensure that people's rights are protected, and that people have a realistic ability to access redress through courts and through tribunals where their rights and entitlements are being infringed.

For us here in Wales, we have limited formal powers in relation to the justice system. I regard, therefore, the ambition of this Government to make the laws that we pass here more easily understood, more easily accessible to people in Wales, not just as a fundamental part of the democratic settlement, and democratic obligations of this institution, and the Welsh Government, but also fundamental to any notion of social justice, so that people know what their rights are and know how they can seek redress when those are infringed. I look forward to bringing forward that legislation in due course.

I thank the Counsel General.