Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:17 pm on 1 December 2020.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I am very pleased that we're staging this debate on the second annual report of the president of Welsh Tribunals, which covers the financial year 2019-20. This is the first debate that we've had on these annual reports published by the president. His first annual report covered the period 2017 to March 2019, and in that report, the president, in his own words, said that
'We are at the commencement of a journey towards providing for Wales a tribunal system which is modern, flexible, capable of responding to the reasonable needs of all tribunal users'.
Sir Wyn Williams is the first to undertake the role of president of Welsh Tribunals. His appointment is extremely important to Wales, not only in terms of the legal guidance and the wealth of experience that he brings to the role, but also because this is the first high-level judicial appointment since 1830 relating to Wales only. We must bear in mind, in terms of the tribunals we have, that we have a judiciary in Wales that, although small in size, is entirely separate to the English judiciary in this sense.
Before I muse briefly on the annual report, I'm sure Members would wish to join with me in thanking Sir Wyn for his commitment to the role of president of the Welsh Tribunals. I'm also sure that Members will wish to join with me in congratulating Sir Wyn on his appointment as chair of the UK Government inquiry into the Horizon ICT system of the Post Office. Clearly, there is great respect for him in Government in Wales and in Westminster.