11. Debate: President of the Welsh Tribunals Annual Report

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:30 pm on 23 November 2021.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 6:30, 23 November 2021

I only have a few short comments today, but I would join indeed the Minister and Counsel General in his comments on the record on Sir Wyn, and also the future work of Sir Wyn as well. I think we are blessed in having people such as him, of his calibre, to actually guide some of this work in Wales.

On 1 November, as the Minister has said, the president of Welsh Tribunals, Sir Wyn, attended our committee meeting to discuss his annual report, and this is a precedent that was set by our predecessor committee. We thank the Chair and our predecessor committee members for going in that direction. It's one that we intend to continue throughout this Senedd term. I think it's a mark of the maturing respect and the strength of this democratic institution as well that we do this.

During the meeting, we discussed Sir Wyn’s key priorities for the rest of his term in office, in respect of access to justice and the Law Commission’s devolved tribunals in Wales project, and other matters as well, some of which the Minister has touched on. I don't intend to go into those in depth today, but he's laid out some of the important matters that actually have an effect on bread-and-butter issues for citizens in Wales. We were very grateful to Sir Wyn for his frank and extensive answers. We expect no less, I have to say, from Sir Wyn; it's the way he deals with this—very honest, very straightforward. This will help us inform our forward work programme as well. I think he pointed us in the direction of areas to look at. So, we look forward to continuing this dialogue with Sir Wyn following the publication of the upcoming report by the Law Commission too.

As part of our discussion with Sir Wyn, we gave some consideration to the work of the individual Welsh tribunals. As part of our regular monitoring work, we've written now to the relevant Senedd committees to draw their attention to the annual reports published by Welsh tribunals that fall within their remits. This, again, is part of the strengthening of our scrutiny and our due diligence here within this institution. So, we look forward to continuing this practice in our committee throughout the sixth Senedd.

And finally, in echoing the comments of the Minister and Counsel General, Sir Wyn’s term in office is currently set to end in March 2022, so we would like as a committee, and I would like personally, just to take this opportunity to put my thanks on the record to Sir Wyn for his work as president of Welsh Tribunals. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd.