6. Will the Counsel General provide an update on recent talks concerning the incorporation of UN human rights conventions into Welsh law? OAQ53907

A stakeholder group has been established to consider how best to weave new legislation into the distinctly Welsh legal tapestry of human rights protection. As, for example, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and our commitment to commence the socioeconomic duty in the Equalities Act 2010 show, this Government continues to bring rights home.

Have you asked your supplementary?

No.

You can do anytime. 

I appreciate, Llywydd, that I have been rather a lot on my feet in the last few minutes, and I entirely understand that one might have lost track.

You or me, Helen Mary? Who's lost track?

Llywydd, I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his response and it is positive to hear that work is ongoing. Of course, the decision to delay Brexit does give us some little time to further consider the challenges that might be placed before us in terms of losing the protection that the European Union provides us in terms of enforcing certain aspects of human rights legislation. But as Lynne Neagle referred to in an earlier question to the First Minister, these extra months will roll by very quickly. So, can I seek assurance from the Counsel General today that in the midst of the many issues—shorter term issues—that he and the Government are having to face with regard particularly to Brexit legislation, the longer term commitment to taking a serious look at incorporating the conventions into Welsh law and how that might best be done does not get lost?

Well, I'm happy to give the Member that reassurance. This is very much a live discussion within Government. As I mentioned, the socioeconomic duty in section 1 of the equality Act, together with the work of the gender equality review, under the leadership of Dr Alison Parken, and the existence, obviously, of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, provide the landscape within which to consider the sorts of issues that I think she knows from our previous discussions I also set to great store on, as does the Government generally.

One of the critical aspects of our departure from the European Union is the loss of access to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which has delivered great benefits to the UK, and we will seek to make sure that we can, as best we can, ensure that people in Wales don't lose rights that they certainly didn't vote to lose during the referendum in 2016.

Thank you, Counsel General.