, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, section 28 is about the services, really, that can be provided to give assistance, and section 29, really, just follows on from that and says there's a specific power to give financial assistance. And the question then that follows on from that will be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, again, you raise a very good point. There are a number of circumstances that you would consider or want to consider in terms of accessibility, in terms of diversity. Section 28 of the Bill is a very, I think, important section, because it basically says…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, it's certainly been one of the things that was considered very carefully in the run-up to the Bill, and has taken a part in the discussions on the Bill on how we actually maintain and improve accessibility. One of the issues, of course, around things…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
—in just a moment, but I think one of the areas of concern is ensuring that, in what is a very changing environment and world, there is that flexibility to ensure that the surveys that take place are up to date, are identifying what are the contemporaneous…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I'll go over to you—is it you on this—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
One of the reasons for the creation of the electoral management board is to ensure the oversight and also consistency across Wales, so you raise a very important point. I think the other thing is that there's a duty on the Electoral Commission to report on…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think the answer is, 'Definitely, yes'. If a pilot is initiated, it needs to be properly resourced for it to be effective, to actually deliver the analysis and the results and the learning lessons that you want from that particular pilot. The pilots that…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think there are different types of pilot, and I think all the pilots we would want to take place are going to be ones that we want in terms of a voluntary and positive contribution to making the pilot work, for it to be a success and so on, and that's what…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
We've looked at that, but we don't consider it's necessary. We don't want to go down the road of Minister of the Crown consents if we have sufficient data that is available. At the moment, all the indications are that we have considerable areas of databases…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
The intention is that we work on the basis of Welsh-contained data, but Michael—. Oh, Angharad. Over to you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
The annual canvass will continue, mainly for the purpose of populating the parliamentary register.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I think at the moment there are actually two registers, two franchises; one is in respect of the devolved elections and the other is in respect of the parliamentary elections, and they are, of course, different franchises. For the more technical detail…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes, I can give that assurance. That is absolutely the intention.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
That exists whether it is through this system or through the existing registration system. Those are issues that are already there. I think what's been built into the system, of course, though, is that the 45-day period stops, is halted, whilst the engagement…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Can I just add to that? It is one of the things where we're thinking of looking to the future, looking to have a common database that would facilitate future technological advancements—voting in different places at different times, and so on. I don't think…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Okay. I’ll bring Michael in in a minute on it, but once people have received their letter that indicates to them that they’re going to be added to it and that the 45-day period kicks in, if they then approach the local authority in respect of the anonymity…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
I do apologise. I've been doing my best not to cough during any of these scrutiny sessions. Occasionally I fail.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I think if you have a register, then a register has to have a purpose—the register has to be accessible to certain agencies and bodies that need that particular information. It has to be available I think also when elections actually take place to those…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, don’t forget, as part of the legislation, we’re actually getting rid of the open register as well—we’ll do that by secondary legislation. So, that actually won’t be there. So, effectively, other than those who are entitled to have access to it, one of…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes, sure.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Sorry, Sam. There are a lot of these throat things going around at the moment. So, the process is there. I can’t remember what my last comment was.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Sorry, no, I've got a bit of a croaky throat.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, I don’t think people regurgitate reasons. I think, if people have genuine reasons as to why they want to be on the register, but to be on it anonymously, you’ve got to have a proper process for that to happen, and it has to be a process that is renewed…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence from the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Well, all that happens now is you'll be notified that the intention is to put people on the register, but if they either don't want to be on it or they want to be on it anonymously to ensure that they are on it, then it facilitates that for happening, and it…
