6. Plaid Cymru Debate: The Senedd's powers

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:40 pm on 9 June 2021.

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Photo of Rhys ab Owen Rhys ab Owen Plaid Cymru 5:40, 9 June 2021

They shouldn't be expected to wait to come out of poverty. 

James Evans—confusion about devolution. Well, it doesn't help that policing and justice isn't devolved in Wales, but it is everywhere else in the United Kingdom—policing devolved in Manchester, policing devolved in London. You're creating—you're creating—the confusion. And Heledd Fychan, my colleague, was completely right in saying devolving broadcasting would help to deal with the confusion that you mention. If you asked the majority of people out there on the streets, 'Who funds S4C?', the majority would tell you it's funded here in Cardiff Bay, but it's not, is it? It's in Westminster. You are creating that confusion, and I won't take any lessons from the Conservative Party about constitutional chaos, as you mentioned, James Evans. Just you ask the people of Northern Ireland about constitutional chaos today, about what you have done with Brexit.

Mike Hedges, I'm glad you support—[Interruption.] I'm glad you support devo—[Interruption.] And Northern Ireland did, and you're causing chaos there. I'm glad that Mike Hedges supports devo max, and I'm glad that there's obvious cross-party support, even from the Conservatives, to decentralise power. I'm glad to hear that we can continue working with that to decentralise power from London, and from Cardiff.

Devolution of justice—Sam Rowlands mentioned devolution of justice, that it won't help anyone. Well, you're ignoring expert after expert. You're ignoring the former Lord Chief Justice, an independent review that said that justice would be better served here in Cardiff Bay, that the people of Wales would be better served with justice being here. I know the Conservative Party enjoys ignoring experts, but you can't just continue ignoring the Silk commission, the Thomas commission, just using the same old boring argument over and over again.

You mentioned furlough, about the UK Government support. Well, you weren't supporting Welsh workers in the first firebreak when the Welsh Government did that. You only gave us furlough when the south-east of England was going into lockdown.

Delyth Jewell—power is a vehicle to do something. Again, my point: we're not asking for devolution for devolution's sake—we're asking for devolution to improve the lives of the people of Wales. Thirty two Welsh MPs soon, as Delyth Jewell reminded us. Our voice will get lost. We're an afterthought at best in Westminster; we'll get lost altogether now. Boris Johnson today didn't even know that Wales was going to play in the Euros on Saturday. That's the level of understanding we have in Westminster.