Diolch, Llywydd. I do move the motion. This is a UK Bill intended to reform the regulation of social housing providers in England. I have called another debate today, because on 9 March, I laid a final supplementary LCM following additional amendments proposed by the UK Government shortly before our last debate.

Today's debate and vote is in relation to giving legislative consent for the final version of the Bill as a whole. Although the Bill impacts on a relatively small number of people who live in Wales—tenants of the approximately 500 units in Wales owned or managed by English social housing providers—the legislative consent of the Senedd is required where UK legislation makes provision for any purpose within the competence of the Senedd. Since housing is a devolved matter, the requirement for consent is triggered.

I have now laid six memoranda that identify and explain why I believe consent is required. This last one deals with amendments to the Bill that introduce new requirements for certain qualifications in some housing management roles of social housing organisations in England. Following these amendments, my recommendation that legislative consent is given remains the same. The changes proposed to the English regime aim to ensure that landlords are more accountable to their tenants for their performance, and I don't think that anyone here in Wales would argue that that's not a positive aim.

I'm very, very grateful to the committees who have considered the memorandum on this Bill, including the reports on the sixth memorandum, which were published yesterday. I understand their concerns in relation to the need to provide the Senedd with as timely information as possible about UK legislation within devolved competence, and the need to give as much opportunity for scrutiny as possible. I really have striven to meet Standing Order requirements, demonstrated by the improvements to the laying times for later LCMs produced in relation to this Bill. But, Llywydd, there have been circumstances beyond my control, which have seriously impacted on the smooth functioning of Senedd consideration of this legislative consent.

During the last debate, I gave an undertaking to write to Michael Gove to express my dissatisfaction that the laying of amendments at a late stage, with so little notice before the date of the consent debate, severely constrained the ability of the Senedd to fully consider the Bill in its final form, before deciding on whether to grant consent. In reply to my letter, Mr Gove advised me that he has delayed the final parliamentary stages of the Bill to ensure that this debate today could go ahead first.

Despite these procedural difficulties, Llywydd, I do remain of the view that consent is appropriate in this case, and I recommend Members support the legislative consent motion in respect of the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill today. Diolch.