Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

We move straight, then, to item No. 2 on our agenda this afternoon. As normal, it's instruments that raise no reporting issues. Alun, you'll be familiar with this terminology from when you've been on this committee before. Under Standing Order 21.2 and 21.3, statutory instruments with clear reports, and here we have an affirmative resolution instrument, SL(6)062, the Listed Buildings (Heritage Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2021. This instrument makes specific provision regarding heritage partnership agreements for listed buildings in Wales, supplementing the provisions of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Now, we considered an earlier version of this at last week's meeting, and that version was withdrawn by Welsh Government in order to rectify a technical point that had been identified by Senedd lawyers, which we welcome. And Senedd lawyers have not identified any further points for reporting with this instrument, so all I'm asking you to do, colleagues, is if you can confirm you agree now with this draft report. Thank you very much.

We move on to item No. 3, instruments that do raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3, and the first of these is a made negative resolution instrument—it's SL(6)063, the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 18) Regulations 2021. Again, for people watching in, they'll know we have this particular instrument and subsequent numbers in its iteration appear in front of us regularly, as the coronavirus restrictions regulations are updated. So, these amendments are being made to provide clarity and ensure consistency with the changes that are being made as we speak and debate these, and our Senedd lawyers have identified three merits points for reporting. So, could I invite either Rhys or—. Sorry, could I invite, first of all, our lawyers to report on those points, please?

Diolch. There are just the usual standard reporting points for all coronavirus-related regulations. Those reporting points relate to breach of the 21-day rule, noting the Welsh Government's justification for any potential interference with human rights, and the lack of formal consultation.

Thank you very much for that, Gareth. Members, that, as you know, is very much par for the course on this particular set of regulations. Are we happy, with those observations that Gareth has made, to agree the reporting points? We are. Thank you very much.

That takes us on to item 3.2, which is SL(6)064, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 11) Regulations 2021. This, again, is a familiar one that appears in front of us as the iterations on the travel regulations are updated. So, it makes amendments to the international travel regulations, including in relation to pre-departure testing, the recognition of vaccinations, and the list of countries and territories subject to additional measures. And, once again, I think, Gareth, it'll be you—you've identified three merits points for reporting.

And again, they're the same three standard reporting points for these coronavirus-related regulations.

And again, committee, are we happy to agree that report? We are, thank you very much. That was a relatively short section today, compared to some of the ones that we've been involved with, but we do have some papers to note that we're going to move on to.

So, under item No. 4 in our public business today, we have correspondence from the Minister for Finance and Local Government on the meeting of the finance Ministers' quadrilateral. So, if you're happy to note that, we can then return to it, if need be, in private session to discuss. The second item is correspondence from the Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee on legislative consent memoranda on the Building Safety Bill. Now, in respect of this one, we have the letter there. We are going to be receiving evidence from the Minister for Climate Change in relation to the memoranda, and the memorandum on the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill on 15 November. So, if you're happy to note the correspondence, we can return to that in private session, because we will also be having the Minister in front of us. Are you happy to do so? Yes. Thank you very much.

And with apologies to the public who may have tuned in to this today, we're now going to, with the will of the committee, go into private session to discuss some other reports in front of us, which will then, of course, come onto the public agenda next week and subsequently. So, we're not disappearing behind the scenes entirely. We do do this to deliberate on things and then bring them back to you. So, item No. 5, under Standing Order 17.42, could I ask committee members whether they're content to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting and go into private session? Thank you very much; we are. I'll wait to be told now that we are in private session.