EU Citizens in Wales and the Recent European Parliamentary Elections

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his "law officer" responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:39 pm on 25 June 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Helen Mary Jones Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru 2:39, 25 June 2019

I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his reply, and glad to hear the Government standing ready to respond. I wonder if he will be prepared to give consideration to making representations to suggest that those bodies should undertake a proactive review. I've seen figures, for example, suggesting that less than 19 per cent of eligible EU citizens in Powys were actually able to vote, because the system that was presented to them was so complicated—people thought they'd registered to vote, they didn't realise they had to send another form, and so on and so forth. We don't of course know, Llywydd, whether there will be further elections in which EU citizens are eligible to vote. Unfortunately, they won't be eligible to vote in the upcoming by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire. But we may hope that there may be other such elections. And I would put it to the Counsel General that it might be appropriate for the Welsh Government to be proactive in seeking to put this wrong right just in case that circumstance arises.