14. Debate: Final Stage of the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:09 pm on 28 March 2023.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 7:09, 28 March 2023

Diolch, Llywydd. It's because I'm not in the Chamber waving my arms at you. I think that's why it is. I've only got a few brief comments, but I do welcome the opportunity to say a few brief remarks this evening, as we conclude our consideration of the very first Welsh consolidation Bill. At the close of a late Tuesday evening in the Senedd, this Final Stage debate on the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill is itself an historic legislative moment.

The consolidation Bill scrutiny process is very different to what Members will be most familiar with when it comes to Bill scrutiny here in the Senedd. One main difference is that following detailed committee consideration of the Bill, which involves the consideration and disposal of amendments, just like Stage 2 for normal public Bills, my committee had to report to the Senedd and recommend whether the Bill should have a further amending stage in this Chamber, or whether it should proceed to Final Stage. That's the difference with a consolidation Bill. We recommended that the Bill should be able to come straight to Final Stage. 

Our report also sets out two matters that we considered before making this recommendation. Firstly, during our initial consideration of the Bill, we drew to the Counsel General's attention a number of issues with the Bill, and we do believe that these issues have been addressed by the Counsel General during our detailed committee consideration. Secondly, during the detailed consideration, my fellow committee Member James Evans tabled amendments, which have just been referred to, relating to the protection of sites of historic wrecks—though not a wrecking amendment, as we've just been told. These amendments were not agreed, but as a committee we are content with the subsequent information provided by the Counsel General about how the Welsh Government will indeed take forward plans to review all the legislation relating to the protection of sites of historic wrecks and anticipated time frames for undertaking such work.

When I spoke during the initial considerations back in January, I said on behalf of the committee that—[Inaudible.]