, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Yes, indeed. Thank you. Yes, please.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Well if—[Interruption.] [Laughter.] I think if this were an episode of University Challenge, then the use of all partners across the panel has been excellent. Thank you very much. Colleagues, have you got any other questions?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Right. Right. That's helpful. It's very clear—very clear. Can I return to just one earlier point? You mentioned, helpfully, in response to Alun's line of questioning why there are good reasons why political judgments are made whether something may fall within…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Right. Very good.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
That's really interesting. With the help of my colleagues here around the table, they're just raising the issue of whether, in respect of the establishment of codes, the England-and-Wales jurisdiction plays any part within that.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Okay. Okay. Thank you. Let me turn, then, in the few minutes that remain there, to the issue of how Welsh Government proceeds, both with the issue of codification and consolidation, and how they bring this forward, bearing in mind the capacity constraints…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Very good. As long as there's no poaching of our key players on the field in order to drive forward their changes, we're quite happy. Can I turn to the issue of subordinate legislation that might flow from this Bill—Welsh Government's proposals on this, your…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
That's interesting to know, yes. Good, good.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Thanks, Alun. And I think that comment on the immense variability in the quality of explanatory memoranda is the nearest we're going to get to a scathing criticism of some aspects from you this afternoon, but it is helpful to us because it's something that…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Thanks, James. Alun, we'll come to you.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Thank you. James.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
—so we might well be coming back to you for your expert input at that point as well.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Just to mention on that, James, of course, we'll be looking at all of the consolidation Bills in the remit of this committee—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Not yet. We'll try. Go on, James.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
This is not a good afternoon for committee. [Laughter.]
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Yes, indeed—embedded, even if only loaned, as 'the loanee', yes. But we're staggeringly disappointed that, to date, we're not getting any strident criticism of political judgments of the Welsh Government or whatever—
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Rhys.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
James.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Good. Rhys, did you—? Yes, go on.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
That's great—really helpful opening there. James, do you want to take us on?
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Yes, it does.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Very good. Well, in that case, let's commence. Let's dive in and see how we get on, and I feel this is going to be a little bit like University Challenge with you deferring to colleagues on either side. Okay, well, just broadly first of all, I wonder if you…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Historic Environment (Wales) Bill: Evidence session with the Law Commission
Croeso nôl. Welcome back, everybody. Welcome to this, the second, session today as we reconvene, of our Legislation, Constitution and Justice Committee. We're delighted this afternoon to have an evidence session now with members of the Law Commission, and…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from items 11 and 12, and items 14 to 20
I'm going to move item No. 10 now to move into private. Before I do, just to remind the public, who might be hungry for more of our committee's deliberations, we are returning to public session at 1.30 p.m. when we have an evidence session with the Law…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Papers to note
There we are. Thank you for that. We move, then, on to item 9.8. Committee members will want to note the written statement and letter from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, which announced the publication of the Electoral Commission's…
