13. Initial Consideration Debate on the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:39 pm on 17 January 2023.

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Photo of Mick Antoniw Mick Antoniw Labour 6:39, 17 January 2023

Thank you for that. It's a very important point, because it is a balancing exercise, isn't it? We have a very active, very demanding, legislative process, our own legislative programme, and, of course, we also have the UK Government's legislative impact through their own legislation LCMs, as we've seen to quite a considerable extent today. I think it's a balance. I think the annual reports that I produce in terms of accessibility will highlight that there should be a flow of consolidation, and I think what we have to keep in mind, of course, is that consolidation is something that is not happening quickly, but we are in for it for the long haul in terms of (1) the way we legislate in the future, but also ensuring that we carry on and we prioritise and identify that legislation. So, this will carry on into the next Senedd, the Senedd after and so on.

I think what we will take from this particular process is learn from it because we will have a major consolidation piece that, hopefully, will be forthcoming, which will be the planning consolidation. And as I understand it, the English part of it alone is 400 pages, so we've got 400 pages in English, probably 400 in Welsh. It was a long process. But it will be intensely valuable. The whole planning process being consolidated into one place, I think, will be of great significance. So, thank you again for that input. I hope the explanations I've given, and, of course, they will be ongoing, in terms of the detail and perhaps even further scrutiny—. The Bill should proceed as a consolidation Bill, and I'm sure the Senedd will want to allow that to happen. We're one step closer to giving Wales accessible, bilingual legislation for the protection and management of our precious historic environment. Diolch yn fawr.