Government Response: The Forestry (Felling of Trees) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2023

Technical Scrutiny Point 1:

The Welsh Government considers it appropriate to define “the Act” in the Regulations to ensure that the reader is aware of the context of the subordinate legislation. In any event, whilst the Committee’s point is noted, the definition has no substantive impact on the Regulations and how they will operate in practice.

Technical Scrutiny Points 2,3,4 and 6:

The Welsh Government thanks the Committee for drawing these to our attention. The Welsh Government is liaising with the SI Registrar on the possibility of producing a Correction Slip to deal with these points.

Technical Scrutiny Point 5:

The Committee’s point is noted, and the Welsh Government is liaising with SI Registrar on the possibility of producing a Correction Slip to deal with the issues raised. However, even if the SI Registrar does not agree to make the relevant changes by Correction Slip, the Welsh Government does not believe that the issues identified have a substantive impact on the subordinate legislation and how accessible it is to the reader. As a result, the Welsh Government does not intend to pursue this point any further by way of amendment legislation.

Technical Scrutiny Points 7 to 9:

Again, the Welsh Government thanks the Committee for drawing this to our attention. The Welsh Government is liaising with SI Registrar on the possibility of producing a Correction Slip to deal with these points. The Welsh Government will in any event work with Natural Resources Wales, as regulator, to ensure that the when the forms are published online and on paper that the Committee’s points are reflected in the final, publicly available versions of those forms.