, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Armed Forces Bill
Thank you very much, Llywydd. We considered the Welsh Government’s memoranda in relation to the Armed Forces Bill in September. In doing so, we noted that our predecessor committee in the fifth Senedd had scrutinised the Bill. Our report drew two conclusions…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualifications (Dissolved Companies) Bill
Llywydd, thank you very much. A brief intervention, Minister. We will check the records of correspondence and whether the questions have been answered or not, and we’ll get back to you. If it’s an error on our part, we’ll take that on the chin, but we want to…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualifications (Dissolved Companies) Bill
My thanks, at the opening, to my fellow committee members, and our clerking team as well, for their diligence and scrutiny. We may be few, but we are mighty in our deliberations. Llywydd, the memorandum that was laid before the Senedd was, in our view, poorly…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualifications (Dissolved Companies) Bill
Thank you very much, Llywydd. We reported on the memorandum last week. We also reported on the Valuation for Rating (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021, which are also relevant to this afternoon’s debate.
, Plenary
The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 20) Regulations 2021
I genuinely do appreciate the point that has just been made by Russell that, sometimes, these are finely balanced and they're taken in the round of a range of measures. But my point would simply be, Russell and Minister, that if it's a fine balance, that fine…
, Plenary
The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 20) Regulations 2021
I thank the Minister for the statement today, and I'll be supporting these. These are difficult decisions, but we have to acknowledge as well that they are temporary but emergency measures, and their purpose is not only to protect public health, but also…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting
In which case, we can move to item No. 6, motion under Standing Order 17.42 to move into private and to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting. Are you happy that we now move into private session? We are, and we'll move into private session and…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Papers to note
We'll move on to item No. 5, which is papers to note. Several of these we can return to in private session, but first of all, we have item 5.1, correspondence from the First Minister in respect of the British-Irish Council summit in Wales, which took place…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Instruments that raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3
On that basis, I think we are content. I can see everybody nodding assent to that, so thank you, Gareth.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Instruments that raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3
So, we will then move on to item No. 4, which is the instruments that do raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3. Now, the first of these, under item 4.1, is SL(6)077, the Welsh Language Standards (No.1) Regulations 2015…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Instruments that raise no reporting issues under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3
In which case, if I could ask all colleagues if they're happy to confirm that, in terms of items 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, this series, and 3.4 and 3.5—I believe that is it, no, sorry, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8, all of which relate to the CJCs—. Are you happy to agree those…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Instruments that raise no reporting issues under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3
We will move on now to other business in the public session that we have today, and the first item on this business—the rest of the business—is item 3 in your papers, colleagues. It's instruments that raise no reporting issues under Standing Order 21.2 or…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
So, I believe Lord Thomas has now left the virtual session.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
That was worth waiting for as well. Thank you very much indeed. Lord Thomas, thank you very much. We will give you just a few minutes now to virtually leave the committee room, and then we'll continue with business. Our best wishes to you.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. Lord Thomas, thank you very much. What's good about this evidence session today is, as well as getting your take on a range of issues that are relevant to this committee, I think you've also probably pointed us towards some…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Peter, thank you very much indeed. I think Peter undersells himself. We all learn from each other on this committee as we go through the—.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Thank you. Okay. We'll stop there, or pause there at least, on that subject area, and, Peter, over to you now. Thank you.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
So, if you were to sum up, Lord Thomas, the current progress or otherwise of Welsh Government on accessibility for Welsh law, promoting that clarity, that coherence, that understanding, where would you say we're at at the moment? Would you say that the mist…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
The first one of those two examples, two quite contrasting examples that you mentioned—. One of them, of course, touches on the departure from the European Union, and the adjustments that have to be made in a legal and a constitutional framework, then, for…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
That's a fascinating observation there, Lord Thomas, that we can't go back. We are now on a path here, without a doubt. But could I turn to something else there? That is, the stated Welsh Government aim of promoting the accessibility and understanding of…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Thank you, Alun. We haven't forgotten about Peter, don't worry. But Rhys, we're going to come back to you first of all.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Thank you, Rhys. Thank you very much, Lord Thomas. We're going to go off in a slightly different direction now. Alun's going to take us down the route of access to justice, which is a key issue for us as well. But, Alun, you're free to go wherever you want…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Thank you, Lord Thomas. Rhys, we'll go over to you, please.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Okay. Well, thank you very much. Alun, you wanted to come in on that, and then we'll go to Rhys. Thank you.
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
The Commission on Justice in Wales report: Evidence session with Lord Thomas
Well, those observations are fascinating. Just in the first few minutes of this, I think this is the equivalent of a rugby test match, starting off with two or three tries being scored in the first few minutes. We'll follow up on some of those points when we…
