2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 12 October 2021.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 2:33, 12 October 2021

Could I ask for two statements from the Government please? Firstly, on the implications of the Supreme Court decision last week to rule two Scottish Acts to be out of competence. Those Acts contained a number of provisions that we have already enacted in this place, notably on the place of the rights of children in legislation. It appears to me that that has a direct read-across to legislation that is on the Welsh statute book, and I think it's important that we do have a statement from the Counsel General to understand what the Welsh Government believes is the situation with Welsh law as a consequence of this Supreme Court judgment.

And, secondly, could I have a statement from the Government on the current role of legislative consent motions? We're used to legislative consent motions in this place, but normally they tend to refer to quite minor matters that either impact upon legislative competence here or where the Welsh Government is seeking to enact legislation on a relatively minor matter as part of a UK process. It appears to me that in this Senedd there's been an increase in the number of LCMs, and also an increase in not just the quantity of LCMs themselves but in the nature of those LCMs, where there is too much legislation, Welsh legislation, reaching the statute book without proper scrutiny in this place. It is important that this Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise all legislation that affects Wales within devolved areas before it reaches the statute book. And it is important, I think, that as a Parliament we're able to understand the processes that the Welsh Government intends to put in place to ensure that Welsh legislation does not reach the statute book without any scrutiny at all.