The final item this afternoon is the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Act 2018 (Consequential Amendments and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2019. I call on the Minister to move the motion—Julie James.

Motion NDM6939 Rebecca Evans

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales; in accordance with Standing Order 27.5

1.  Approves that the draft The Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Act 2018 (Consequential Amendments and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2019 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 10/12/2018.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. Following the consideration and passing of the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Act 2018 by the Assembly last year, and subsequently its commencement Order, we will see full abolition of the right to buy in Wales on 26 January 2019. The consequential amendments and savings provisions regulations before you today will ensure that existing primary legislation accurately reflects the legislative changes made by the 2018 Act. They also ensure that clarity and consistency of the law is preserved, both in the Housing Act 1985 and the Land Transaction and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017.

The regulations also make saving provisions to ensure that relevant provisions within the 1985 Act and the 2017 Act continue to apply in relation to outstanding applications to purchase made prior to the abolition of the right to buy or right to acquire. They also ensure that safeguards will continue to apply, for example where properties bought under the right to buy and right to acquire are subsequently sold on within a specified time period.

These regulations, then, support the goal of preserving our existing stock of social housing and to encourage the building of new social housing. They will provide clarity of the law and ensure relevant safeguards remain in place. 

We deeply regret the abolition of the right to buy. That debate has been had, and we move on. We certainly need to concentrate and forge a new consensus around rapid increase in house building, which will now be our main focus, but we do regret this legislation deeply, and, on this side of the Assembly, we would seek to reintroduce the right to buy on a reformed basis at our earliest opportunity.

However, I do welcome these regulations insofar as they preserve the right of people who, during the grace period, have notified their intention to exercise the right to buy or acquire but have not yet been able to complete on it. It was one of the few parts of the legislation that I think did soften the blow—that you allowed this grace period. We thought it should be longer, but we just had a year in the end, but at least it does go beyond a year if you have expressed the intention to buy. So, in that respect, we support these regulations. 

The Minister to respond.

Thank you for that contribution. I often have much to agree on with David Melding, and I appreciate the sentiments he expressed there. I, for one, am absolutely delighted that we've stopped the right to buy, and it's a matter of some discourse between us, but I understand his sentiments on it.

From our point of view, the Act was necessary to ensure the protection of our vital social housing stock for those in greatest housing need. As he said, the Act allows for a one-year period for eligible tenants to exercise their rights. We feel that's a fair and reasonable amount of time for tenants to decide whether they wish to exercise their rights, and to take appropriate financial and legal advice.

The amendments and saving provisions the regulations will bring about are necessary in order to ensure clarity of the law, as David Melding has acknowledged, and therefore, Llywydd, I urge everyone to support the regulations. 

The question is the motion be agreed. Does any Member object? Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

That brings us to the end of our meeting.

The meeting ended at 19:38.