Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:00 pm on 19 October 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:00, 19 October 2021

Llywydd, I thank Adam Price for what he said about the co-chairs of the independent commission. I think that he's right. It is hard to think of any Welsh figure who commands greater respect—not simply in Wales, but on the world stage—than Dr Rowan Williams. In Professor Laura McAllister, we have one of the leading experts on the subject matter that the commission will have at its heart.

I can certainly confirm that, as Professor McAllister has said today, the commission will look at the whole suite of potential constitutional futures for Wales. The terms of reference for the commission certainly allow for independence to be considered as one of these options. They allow for any person who has a view as to how Wales's constitutional future should best be shaped to come to the commission to make their case for that. It would be absurd—and I think that that was the word that Professor McAllister used—to rule out independence.

But, nothing else is ruled out either. If I have the opportunity, I will certainly give my evidence to the commission that entrenched devolution in a successful United Kingdom is the best constitution for Wales. But, Plaid Cymru—and I welcome very much what Plaid Cymru's spokesperson said about constructive engagement and making every use of the opportunity that it presents—will be able to set out its stall for a different constitutional future.