Item 5 on the agenda this afternoon is the Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020, and I call on the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion. Hannah Blythyn.

Motion NDM7230 Rebecca Evans

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

1. Approves that the draft The Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 10 December 2019.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased today to be able to bring forward a motion to approve the Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020. The current annual canvass for electors is outdated and cumbersome, is expensive and complex for electoral registration officers to administer and can lead to confusion for our citizens. In light of this, we have worked with the Scottish and UK Governments to modernise and streamline the annual canvass to ensure that it's fit for purpose across nations for all of our elections. This work is part of a range of electoral reforms, including an extension of the franchise for devolved elections achieved in part by the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020, and to be completed by the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill.

The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill will also include some other important provisions aimed at improving voter registration in the long term, such as registration for applications, sometimes referred to as automatic registration, and the option to create an all-Wales database of electoral registration information. Taken together with the changes in the annual canvass introduced by these regulations, our electoral reforms will work together to modernise the registration processes as well as improving efficiency and voter experience. Collectively, they represent a significant change in our electoral system and a wide-ranging programme of work.

The objectives of canvass reform are to make the process simpler and clearer for citizens, give more local discretion to electoral registration officers and to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of the electoral register. These canvass reforms will also address the additional cost generated by individual electoral registration and improve the accuracy of our electoral register. With the expansion of the franchise to include 16 and 17-year-olds and qualifying foreign citizens, maximising the accuracy and continued integrity of the electoral register is essential.

The electoral community in Wales has consistently delivered on their registration and election responsibilities to very high standards. In recent years, it's been under very difficult circumstances. The continued robustness of our elections is thanks in no small measure to this great community of professionals and I would like to take this opportunity to place on the record our thanks for their continuing hard work and commitment.

So, I encourage Members here to approve this motion so that we continue to bring electoral processes into the twenty-first century and help our democracy to thrive.

Thank you. I call on the Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, Mick Antoniw.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. We considered these regulations at our meeting on 13 January and we laid our report before the Assembly on 14 January. Our report raised one merits point under Standing Order 21.3. We noted and welcomed the thorough information provided in the explanatory memorandum to the regulations. In addition, we noted how the regulations, which were laid on 10 December 2019, rely on the Government of Wales Act 2006 (Amendment) (Order) 2019. This Order did not come into force until 18 December 2019. We agreed that it was appropriate to lay these regulations before the section 109 Order was made in order to give the Assembly sufficient time for scrutiny. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. 

Thank you. The Deputy Minister to reply to the debate, or are you happy?

Happy to move forward.

Happy to move. Okay. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.