Areithiau a chwestiynau

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

But they've done so without legislation, haven't they?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Yes, it's just on this issue of gender and diversity quotas. So, obviously, the Senedd has a pretty good record on gender so far. We did achieve 50:50 after one election, and given that that system is currently working—. And I appreciate that some parties—my…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Thank you.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Yes, just very briefly. So, I had the benefit of sitting on the previous Senedd reform committee, which I then resigned from because it was hijacked. But one of the issues that was discussed in that committee was the possibility of instead of using either the…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

—approach in the EU.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

So, there are only two other countries that have this sort of—

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Yes. Good point.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

I'm very interested in this issue as well, if I may, of the potential of variable district magnitudes. One of the challenges that we all have as politicians sometimes is explaining where our boundaries lie to our constituents. People might be familiar with…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Can I just come back to Alberto's point? You say that having a more proportional system is likely to be a safeguard against lower potential turnout. But we have higher turnouts for first-past-the-post elections, don't we? In the UK general election, we have a…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda sefydliadau diwygio etholiadol

Yes. I just wanted to pick up on voter turnout, if I can. Jess, you mentioned the fact that it's very difficult at the moment to get a handle on the data as to what the turnout is for certain groups of people, whether that be age or other demographic issues…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Yes. Forgive me for not being clearer.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Yes, please.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Perhaps another slightly different question on the same theme, and that is around what if a political party no longer exists and they have lists. We've had that situation in Wales, where a party had a number of individuals represented. Those individuals…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Okay. And how about you, Professor Clark?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

And can I just ask you about this a little bit more? So, my understanding is that the reason that there are no provisions for by-elections for regional Members who may vacate a seat at present is because of the sheer size of the current regions and…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Well, it's more likely with the smaller constituencies. They're not the size of the current regions, are they?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Dr Larner, you’d agree with that view? Okay, thank you for that. Can I just turn, if I may, to this issue of vacancies that might arise? So, obviously, at the moment, if a regional Member of the Senedd passes away, or for whatever reason decides to step down…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Because it could be widely interpreted, and how you define healthy democracy, et cetera.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

So, the extent to which the elements of a healthy democracy are present in Wales—that’s the provision, isn’t it?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Professor Clark, sorry. It’s difficult when you’re not in the room.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

What do you think?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Yes. I just wanted to touch on this whole area of the review of the provisions in the Bill, if I can. So, obviously, everyone would want to have a look at how the new system functions once it's been introduced, to make sure that it's working. But it is—or…

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

Okay. Thank you.

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

What about you?

9 Tachwedd 2023, Reform Bill Committee

Bil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau): Sesiwn dystiolaeth gydag academyddion ym maes systemau etholiadol

I know it's like a Mastermind question, but is it a big number or very small number? [Laughter.]