The Creation of a Welsh Traffic Commissioner

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General – in the Senedd at 2:37 pm on 24 October 2018.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:37, 24 October 2018

I thank the Member for bringing that matter to my attention. There are, I think, two points to make. The MOU between the Welsh Government in relation to the traffic commissioner effectively provides funding for enhanced services. Since the MOU was entered into, there's been a change in the devolution settlement, and now, bus registration services, which are provided by the transport commissioner, are devolved to this place, and you heard the Cabinet Secretary talk about his plans in relation to those earlier. But the other range of functions, which the Transport Commissioner for Wales exercises, including the one that she's referred to in her question, are, in fact, reserved competencies. They're reserved to the UK Government and Parliament under the settlement. And I can't comment specifically, obviously, on the individual example that she's given because he will be entering into correspondence in his capacity as discharging his statutory functions. But I would be happy to look at the broader point that she raises about consultations and the ability of AMs to perform their functions, even if it's on an informal understanding rather than a statutory basis.