I strongly oppose amendments 3 and 4, as the effect of these amendments would be to make our decision to postpone the Senedd election dependent upon the UK Government's decision regarding the PCC elections. Of course we are working closely with the UK Government to try to ensure the appropriate degree of consistency between the polls, but I would strongly reject the view that the Senedd election is somehow subordinate to the PCC elections. I note that these have already been postponed for a year, something that I think not only we but most Members of this Senedd would think was wholly unacceptable in the case of the Welsh general election.

While the decisions taken by the UK Government on the PCC elections and other elections in England will clearly carry weight in our consideration of whether we can safely conduct the Senedd election, it is quite possible that those decisions will be taken in the light of circumstances in respect of the pandemic that might pertain across parts of England but not here in Wales. We must be free to take action to protect that election should we face a situation in which the ability of voters to participate safely is under threat. This amendment could prevent the Senedd taking a decision that is in the best interest of voters in the middle of a national crisis. That is wholly unacceptable. Ultimately, decisions that affect the people of Wales should be made here in Wales.

I support amendment 16 and am grateful to the Member for the work we have done together on it. As currently drafted, the requirement is for the First Minister to make a statement by the day of the last Plenary before recess as to whether and why he takes the view that it is safe to proceed with the election.

Amendment 6 would impose a requirement on the Welsh Ministers to make regulations to specify the criteria to be used by the First Minister in exercising the power under section 5(1). This is an unnecessary step in a process that already requires a supermajority of Members to agree a postponement and could box us into a wholly unnecessary corner. So, I cannot support this amendment. However, I do recognise the strength of feeling among Members about the need for transparency about the criteria to be used by the First Minister in making his decision, so I will support the Member’s amendment 7, which requires those criteria to be published.