Concise Minutes - Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee


Meeting Venue:

Hybrid - Committee Room 4, Tŷ Hywel and videoconference via Zoom

Meeting date: Monday, 8 December 2025

Meeting time: 13.00 - 16.15
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15463


Hybrid

------

Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Mike Hedges MS (Chair)

John Griffiths MS (In place of Alun Davies MS)

Samuel Kurtz MS

Adam Price MS

Witnesses:

Sir Gary Hickinbottom, Welsh Tribunals

David Sargent, Welsh Government

Committee Staff:

P Gareth Williams (Clerk)

Owain Davies (Second Clerk)

Tom Lewis-White (Second Clerk)

Gerallt Roberts (Second Clerk)

 

<AI1>

1       Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Apologies were received from Alun Davies MS. John Griffiths MS attended as substitute for items 1 to 5. Samuel Kurtz MS will recuse himself from item 5.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       President of the Welsh Tribunals: Evidence session on the annual report for 2024-25 and priorities for 2025-26

The Committee received evidence from the President of the Welsh Tribunals on his annual report for 2024-25 and his priorities for 2025-26.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3       Motion under Standing Order 17.42(vi) and (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the following items: 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16

The motion was agreed.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4       President of the Welsh Tribunals: Consideration of evidence

The Committee considered the evidence received from the President of the Welsh Tribunals.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5       Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill: Draft report

The Committee considered its report on the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Bill and agreed to consider a revised version at its next meeting.

</AI5>

<AI6>

6       Instruments that raise no reporting issues under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3

</AI6>

<AI7>

6.1   SL(6)680 - The Non-Domestic Rating Contributions (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Committee considered the instrument and was content.

</AI7>

<AI8>

7       Instruments that raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3

</AI8>

<AI9>

7.1   SL(6)681 - The Local Government (Standards Committees and Member Conduct) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2025

The Committee considered the instrument and agreed to report to the Senedd in line with the reporting points identified.

</AI9>

<AI10>

8       Instruments that raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.7 - previously considered

</AI10>

<AI11>

8.1   SL(6)666 - Code of Practice on the exercise of social services functions in relation to Part 4 (direct payments and choice of accommodation) and Part 5 (charging and financial assessment) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

The Committee noted the Welsh Government response.

</AI11>

<AI12>

8.2   SL(6)678 - The Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2025

The Committee noted the Welsh Government response.

</AI12>

<AI13>

9       Instruments that raise issues to be reported to the Senedd under Standing Order 21.2 or 21.3 - previously considered

</AI13>

<AI14>

9.1   SL(6)679 - The Procurement Act 2023 (Specified International Agreements) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2025

The Committee noted the Welsh Government response.

</AI14>

<AI15>

9.2   SL(6)674 - The Official Controls (Import of High-Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin) (Amendment of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793) (Wales) Regulations 2025

The Committee noted the Welsh Government response.

</AI15>

<AI16>

10    Inter-Institutional Relations Agreement

</AI16>

<AI17>

10.1 Written Statement and correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Biocidal Products (Data Protection Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Committee noted the Written Statement and correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

</AI17>

<AI18>

10.2 Written Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles: Glue Traps) Regulations 2025

The Committee noted the Written Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

</AI18>

<AI19>

10.3 Written Statement and correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Committee noted the Written Statement and correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

</AI19>

<AI20>

10.4 Correspondence from the Welsh Government: Meetings of inter-ministerial groups

The Committee noted the Written Statement and correspondence from the Welsh Government in relation to a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

</AI20>

<AI21>

11    Papers to note

</AI21>

<AI22>

11.1 Correspondence from Mark Isherwood MS to the Finance Committee: British Sign Language (Wales) Bill

The Committee noted the correspondence from Mark Isherwood MS to the Finance Committee.

</AI22>

<AI23>

11.2 Correspondence from the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing: Four nations response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) market study into the UK infant and follow-on formula market

The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

</AI23>

<AI24>

11.3 Written Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language: Non-domestic rates support for 2026-27

The Committee noted the Written Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language.

</AI24>

<AI25>

11.4 Correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Update on UK Emissions Trading Scheme

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

</AI25>

<AI26>

12    Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) on the Victims and Courts Bill: Draft report

The Committee agreed its draft report on Memorandum No. 2 on the Victims and Courts Bill.

</AI26>

<AI27>

13    Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill

Members considered Memorandum No. 2 and agreed to consider a draft report at a future meeting.

</AI27>

<AI28>

14    Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Public Office (Accountability) Bill: Draft report

The Committee considered its draft report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Public Office (Accountability) Bill and agreed to consider a revised draft report at its next meeting.

</AI28>

<AI29>

15    Welsh Government Draft Budget 2026-27: Draft letter

The Committee agreed its draft letter on the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2026-2027.

</AI29>

<AI30>

16    Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill: Draft report

The Committee considered its draft report on the Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill and agreed to consider a revised version at its next meeting.

</AI30>

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