, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Elections Bill
In recent years we've heard time and time again about Putin's interference within western democracies and western elections. Is now really the time to undermine the independent regulator of elections here in the United Kingdom? By now you've heard me on…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Elections Bill
It's a Government that doesn't even listen to experts such as the Electoral Commission. But—and there is a 'but'—I'm very uncomfortable with the idea that we here in the Senedd are being asked to consent to such a Bill—a Bill that, through the expensive…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Elections Bill
Cwnsler Cyffredinol, may I begin by congratulating you and the Welsh Government on the concessions you have achieved from the Westminster Government with regard to this Bill? It must be next to impossible to try and work with that Government—a Government that…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Building Safety Bill
Instead of using an English ombudsman scheme, we should have used the already Welsh tribunals. The Welsh residential property tribunal could easily have been renamed the Welsh housing tribunal. Instead, though, of using an existing tribunal system, we set up…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Building Safety Bill
This process is doing nothing to simplify our devolved settlement or our legal system, a system and settlement that even the previous Lord Chief Justice Thomas of Cwmgïedd, one of the most talented legal minds of our age, said that even he found impossible to…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Building Safety Bill
Members will have heard me several times before stressing my concerns about the way the LCM process is being used in this place.
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion on the Building Safety Bill
I welcome the comments made by the Deputy Minister, of course—I welcome any attempt to strengthen the rights of people who live in flats that are unsafe—but I don't accept the argument, Deputy Minister, that using the LCM process is swifter than having our…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Yes, certainly, I agree, Sam, 100 per cent. Two years ago, all of the places of worship closed their doors due to COVID, and for many of them their doors never reopened. I can think of three examples in the Cynon Valley: Siloa Aberdare, the place where a…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Of course.
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Two years ago, the doors of all places—
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Places of worship have made an immeasurable contribution to Welsh life: they taught thousands of children to read and write; they fostered the strongest possible sense of community; they provided an essential platform for Welsh culture; they often campaigned…
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
Well, I agree, to some extent, with Huw T. Edwards. We need to use these buildings in a much more effective way. But I also agree with the other Huw Edwards, and what debate on chapels could we have without the BBC's Huw? He said this:
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
'I want to see at least seventy-five per cent of the places of worship in Wales pulled down or used in a more effective way.'
, Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Religious buildings
And thank you very much to my friend and colleague Mike Hedges for tabling this debate. Where else in the world would we have a debate like this? Well, perhaps in Chubut state assembly. It's lovely, isn't it? It's quintessentially Welsh to have this kind of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. A few weeks ago, I visited the new Spark centre in Cardiff University, and I encourage all Members to visit that new research centre. They stressed to me, prior to Brexit, the amount of funding they were receiving from the European…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
10. What discussions has the Minister had with partners to ensure that Wales does not lose out economically due to the levelling-up fund? OQ57823
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Our final merits point, Minister—and as I said, there was no need to respond to this point—notes that the scheme set out in the regulations will likely result in increased revenue to charging authorities for the provision of services covered by the council…
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Taking into account the very high number of responses to the consultation and the fact—probably hardly surprising—that the majority of those responses did not support the proposal to increase the percentage rate discretion, we were unclear why the approach…
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Our second merits point draws attention to the consultation undertaken by the Welsh Government in respect of these regulations, and specifically how this is discussed in the accompanying explanatory memorandum.
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Our first merits point noted that the significant increase in the charging authority’s discretion, from 100 percent to 300 percent, appears to engage article 1 of the first protocol of the European convention on human rights. Whilst it is, of course…
, Plenary
The Council Tax (Long-term Empty Dwellings and Dwellings Occupied Periodically) (Wales) Regulations 2022
Thank you, Llywydd. I am delighted contribute to this afternoon's debate on behalf of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, and I wish our Chair, Huw Irranca-Davies, well on the happy occasion of the graduation of his son, which has been…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
The recent research by the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre at Cardiff University commissioned by the Welsh Government saw an increase of 87 per cent in the rate of children in care from 2004 to 2020. And what surprises me is the huge…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you very much, First Minister, and I know that this is something very close to your own heart, and that you have been working to try and identify the problem.
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
3. What work is the Welsh Government undertaking to reduce the number of children in care in Wales? OQ57822
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Diolch yn fawr, Cwnsler. I know that you are more than aware of the nature of the profession in Wales, especially in rural and post-industrial areas. We do have ageing legal professionals and practitioners. In a place like Mid and West Wales, over 60 per cent…
