The next group of amendments is group 3. This group relates to the last possible election day. Amendment 5 is the lead amendment in the group and I call Mark Isherwood to move that amendment and to speak to the other amendments in the group. 

Amendment 5 (Mark Isherwood) moved.

I move amendments 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. These specify 26 August as the latest date until when an election can be delayed. As I said yesterday during Stage 2 proceedings, a six-month delay to the scheduled election on 6 May is too long. The National Assembly for Wales usually sat for four-year terms and the Senedd sits for five. A delay until bonfire night would take us halfway through a sixth year. There is no mandate from the people of Wales for that. Indeed, I—and I'm sure all Members I've spoken with at least—am receiving e-mails from concerned members of the public, anxious that their right to vote on 6 May might be taken away from them. I've not received a single e-mail from somebody supporting that concept. We know that the risks presented by coronavirus and its variants are highest in the winter months, and the annual risks to the NHS are greatest in the winter months. I can understand if there was a sharp rise in cases and the weekly incidence rate per 100,000 rose to the level we saw in December, for example, there would be a case for delaying the election until the summer. But surely we would not seek to delay it until the winter, when risks are greater, or introduce legislation enabling that to happen.

We accept the Minister's argument that our proposed amendment yesterday would have meant an election could have potentially clashed with the September school return, which is why we've instead proposed 26 August, although clearly the summer months of June or July would be preferable if there had to be any delay at all. Holding an election during a holiday period should not be an impediment to either the effective administration of the election or voter turnout. There is no practical merit in the arguments to the opposite, given the wider provisions within this Bill and existing wider provisions for alternative means of voting if required. The real issue is that voter turnout at devolved elections has always been low, and we have a collective responsibility to address that regardless. 

The position of the Welsh Conservatives is still clear: we want to see the scheduled election on 6 May go ahead, just as elections are taking place in other parts of the world during this pandemic, and are scheduled to continue doing so. If the election must be delayed because, for instance, we are in an alert level 4 lockdown, that delay should be as short as possible so that the people of Wales can elect a new Welsh Government of their choosing. I urge Members to support this accordingly.

The Minister to contribute—Julie James. 

I commend the Member's tenacity in respect of reducing flexibility for the postponement of elections this year. In principle, as a Government, we agree that holding the election during the summer months is preferable to waiting for the autumn. But as I indicated at Stage 2, I believe that 5 November strikes the right balance between flexibility and certainty about when in 2021 postponed elections could be held. So, I cannot support the amendments in this group, which reduce the maximum period of postponement for an election within the scope of this Bill from 6 months to less than 4 months. Let us not forget that at the start of the pandemic the UK Government postponed elections for an entire year. Although the amendments avoid the difficulties with schools I highlighted yesterday, they do not overcome the timing issues around the summer holidays. I therefore urge Members to vote against the amendments in this group. Diolch. 

Mark Isherwood, do you wish to respond?

I know the Minister believes that if there is to be a delayed election it would be preferably held in the summer months rather than in the winter, because she's also told me that consistently beforehand. It is intellectually unsustainable to then enable the possibility, or provide for the possibility, of having that very election in the winter. Our position is sustainable, our position stands, and notwithstanding the Minister's comments, although I fear the outcome of them, I urge Members to support our amendments. 

The question, therefore, is that amendment 5 be agreed. Are there any objections? [Objection.] Yes, I see an objection. Therefore, we will take a vote on amendment 5. Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 11, three abstentions, 37 against, and therefore the amendment is not agreed. 

Amendment 5: For: 11, Against: 37, Abstain: 3

Amendment has been rejected

Rhun ap Iorwerth to move amendment 16.

Amendment 16 (Rhun ap Iorwerth) moved.

Formally.

The question is that amendment 16 be agreed to. Are there any objections? I don't see any objections.

Are you objecting, Mark Isherwood? Shall I take that as an objection?

It is an objection. I thought you would unmute me, but object.  

No, that's fine. Thank you. I did notice some flag waving or something, or pen waving by you, so that's fine. So, it's objected and we'll call a vote, therefore, on gwelliant 16, amendment 16. 

Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 39, two abstentions, 10 against, and therefore the amendment is agreed. 

Amendment 16: For: 39, Against: 10, Abstain: 2

Amendment has been agreed

Gareth Bennett, amendment 4. 

Is it being moved?

No.

Thank you. So, amendment 4 is not being moved to a vote.

Amendment 4 (Gareth Bennett supported by Mark Reckless) not moved.

Mark Isherwood, amendment 6.  

Amendment 6 (Mark Isherwood) moved.

Move.

The question is that amendment 6 be agreed. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes. We'll therefore move to a vote on amendment 6. Open the vote. 

Close the vote. 

In favour 12, three abstentions, 37 against. Therefore, amendment 6 is not agreed. 

Amendment 6: For: 12, Against: 37, Abstain: 3

Amendment has been rejected

Amendment 7, Mark Isherwood. 

Is it being moved?

Amendment 7 (Mark Isherwood) moved.

It is moved.

Is there any objection to amendment 7? 

Is there an objection to amendment 7? [Objection.] Yes, there is. I can see one. 

Llywydd, I do apologise for interrupting you. I did vote when you were asking me whether my vote had registered. It had registered on my screen, but—

Don't worry—it finally registered on my screen also, so your vote was cast. 

Thank you. 

Okay. Diolch, Darren. So, there's been an objection to gwelliant 7, so I'll call a vote on gwelliant 7. 

Open the vote. Close the vote. In favour 47, four abstentions, one against. And therefore, amendment 7 is agreed. 

Amendment 7: For: 47, Against: 1, Abstain: 4

Amendment has been agreed