3. Statement by the First Minister: The Legislative Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:47 pm on 16 July 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 3:47, 16 July 2019

(Translated)

May I thank Adam Price for his contribution this afternoon, and thank him for what he said about the Plaid Cymru support for the Bill that we're going to introduce on the social partnership model—and I look forward to the debate on that—and for what he said about reregulating buses in Wales? Of course, there are challenges facing the sector. We're not just going to wait for the new powers. There are many things that we can already do in Wales. I welcome the fact that there are 50 new electric buses that are going to be introduced in Wales over the coming months, and as I said in response to questions from Paul Davies, there are things that we're already doing with the powers that we already have to extend things, to draw younger people in to using the buses as well.

With regard to taxis, of course, things are moving very quickly. Things change in the world outwith the world of taxis. And the point on the gig economy, and so on, the unions had already raised those points with us and that’s one of the reasons why we want to think again and reconsider the new ideas that have been received. I do want to say, Llywydd, that we are going to prepare a package of things that we can do now with the powers that we currently have to respond to some of the issues that have arisen in the discussions on the White Paper.

On the agriculture Bill, now, over the summer, we are going to hold a conversation the length and breadth of Wales on the new paper that Lesley Griffiths has introduced, and, of course, as we thought about the first White Paper, to think about the things that people in this sector have to say to us. We're confident that we will have powers under the Bill currently going through the House of Commons to deal with the situation if we do leave the European Union, but we do want to bring forward a Bill that is relevant to us here in Wales, and we still want to prepare for that and publish another White Paper before the end of this term to prepare for the future.

With regard to clean air, we're going to publish a plan for clean air in the autumn and that will prepare the ground for legislation in this area in the future. With regard to smoking, we're going to bring forward regulations to extend those locations where we can control smoking, and do more in that regard. And that will lead to other things, as I already mentioned.

Just for a moment, Llywydd, I will expand on the tertiary education and training Bill—I'm not quite sure what that is in Welsh, I apologise—but just to explain the background to people again.