Decision details
Motion to approve the general principles of the Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill
Decision Maker: Business Committee - Fourth Assembly, Plenary - Fourth Assembly
Status: Recommendations approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Purpose:
A Government Bill, introduced by Alun Davies AM, Minister for Natural Resources and Food. An Emergency Bill is a Government Bill that needs to be enacted more quickly than the Assembly’s usual four stage legislative process allows. A definition of an Emergency Bill is not provided in the Government of Wales Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) or in the Assembly’s Standing Orders, however Standing Order 26.95 states that:
“If it appears to a member of the government that an Emergency Bill is required, he or she may by motion propose that a government Bill, to be introduced in the Assembly, be treated as a government Emergency Bill.”
As with all Assembly Bills, Emergency Bills must relate to one or more of the 20 Subjects contained in Schedule 7 to the 2006 Act in order for it to be within the scope of the Assembly’s legislative powers.
About the Bill
The Bill contains provisions that:
- Preserve
the current level of statutory protections;
- Provide
the Welsh Ministers with the power to make future Orders prescribing
agricultural terms and conditions;
- Provide
Welsh Ministers with the power to establish an Agricultural Advisory Panel
for Wales to carry out similar but more modified functions of the
Agricultural Wages Board;
- Enable
the Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales to carry out functions related
to the operation of the agricultural sector, including promoting careers
in agriculture and making recommendations to the Welsh Ministers to
specify minimum terms and conditions; and
- Assist
the foundation for a resilient, sustainable and well-trained agricultural
sector in Wales;
- Promote
upskilling in the agricultural sector.
Current stage
The Agricultural Sector (Wales) Act 2014 became law in Wales on 30 July 2014.
An explanation of the various stages of Assembly Bills can be found here.
Stage |
Documents |
Motion to propose this be treated as a Government
Emergency Bill Motion to agree a timetable |
Tabled 25 June, for debate on 2
July 2013 |
|
Agricultural
Sector (Wales) Bill, as introduced Presiding
Officer’s Statement: 8 July 2013 Legislative
Glossary – Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill (Welsh language version only) |
Stage 1 - General Principles debate (in Plenary)
|
A debate took place in Plenary on 9
July 2013. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was
agreed. |
Financial Resolution (if required) |
A Financial Resolution in relation to the
Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill was agreed in Plenary on 9
July 2013. |
|
Stage 2 consideration took place in the Committee
of the Whole Assembly on 16
July 2013. Notice
of Amendments 10 July 2013 Notice
of Amendments 11 July 2013 Notice
of Amendments 12 July 2013 Marshalled
List of Amendments 16 July 2013 Groupings
of Amendments 16 July 2013 Agricultural
Sector (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2 (Amendments to the Bill since
the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.)
|
|
Marshalled
List of Amendments 17 July 2013 Groupings
of Amendments 17 July 2013 Agricultural
Sector (Wales) Bill, as passed (Amendments to the Bill since the previous
version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.) |
|
The Bill was agreed by the Assembly in accordance
with SO 12.36 on 17
July 2013. Agricultural
Sector (Wales) Bill, as passed (Crown XML) |
Post Stage 4 |
The Attorney General has written to the Chief
Executive and Clerk of the Assembly to advise that he will be referring the
Bill to the Supreme Court under Section 112 of the Government of Wales Act
2006. The Chief Executive and Clerk of the Assembly has
written to all Assembly Members advising of this. This letter can be found here
together with copies of the Attorney
General’s letter and the responses from the Counsel
General and Secretary
of State for Wales. The Bill was referred to the Supreme Court. Judgement
on this case was received on 9 July 2014. The judgement found the Bill to be within the
competence of the National Assembly for Wales. |
Royal Assent |
Royal Assent
was given on 30 July 2014. |
Contact information
Clerk: Bethan Davies
Phone: 029 2089 8120
Postal address:
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
CF99 1NA
Decision:
The item started
at 16.40
Voting on the motion and amendments under
this item was deferred until Voting Time.
NDM5289 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales in
accordance with Standing Order 26.102:
Agrees
to the general principles of the Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill.
The following
amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 - William Graham (South Wales East)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Regrets the failure of the Welsh Government to put the
Bill through the full Public Bill procedure given the opportunity it had to do
so, which would have included;
a) detailed committee scrutiny of the Bill; and
b) opportunity for a detailed committee report on the
Bill.
A vote was taken on Amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
25 |
0 |
26 |
51 |
Amendment 1 was not
agreed.
Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Regrets that the Emergency Bill was brought before the Assembly
before the Welsh Government’s own consultation had closed and before the
consultation responses were available for consideration.
A vote was taken on Amendment 2:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
25 |
0 |
26 |
51 |
Amendment 2 was not
agreed.
Amendment 3 - William Graham (South Wales East)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Regrets that the Bill would allow Welsh Ministers to set
minimum wages without any reference to an independent panel.
A vote was taken on Amendment 3:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
25 |
0 |
26 |
51 |
Amendment 3 was not
agreed.
Amendment 4 - William Graham (South Wales East)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Notes that the establishment of an advisory panel under the
Bill would be at the discretion of Welsh Ministers, who would control:
a) the constitution and proceedings of the panel;
b) the appointment of members to the panel;
c) the general powers of the panel; and
d) the addition, removal or amendment of functions of the
panel.
A vote was taken on Amendment 4:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
25 |
0 |
26 |
51 |
Amendment 4 was not
agreed.
Amendment 5 - William Graham (South Wales East)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Notes that:
a) the key purposes of the Bill include wage-setting
functions; and
b)
employment law is not listed under Schedule 7 of the Government of Wales Act
2006.
A vote was taken on Amendment 5:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
17 |
0 |
34 |
51 |
Amendment 5 was not
agreed.
A vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM5289 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales in
accordance with Standing Order 26.102:
Agrees
to the general principles of the Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
33 |
0 |
17 |
50 |
The
motion without amendment was agreed.
Publication date: 09/07/2013
Date of decision: 09/07/2013
Decided at meeting: 09/07/2013 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly