Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

That brings me to item 3, notifications and correspondence under the inter-institutional relations agreement. I'm going to group the following two. So, item 3.1 is correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on the Official Controls (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024. Item 3.2 is correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on the Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2024. Paper 6, then, is the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on 18 April, and then you'll see the letter that I just referred to under paper 17. So, Members are invited to note the correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, in which he states his intention to consent to the UK Government making and laying the Official Controls (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024 and the Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 in relation to Wales. The Cabinet Secretary states that the purpose of the regulations is to implement the second milestone of the border target operating model to protect biosecurity and support trade between Great Britain and third countries. He also states that it is considered appropriate for these instruments to apply to Wales as there is no policy divergence between the Welsh Government and the UK Government in this matter. He considers that legislating separately for Wales would be, and I quote,

'neither the most appropriate way to give effect to the necessary changes nor a prudent use of Welsh Government resources given other important priorities.'

So, at this point, again, I'm going to invite Alun, Adam and Sam—. Would you like to make any comments or observations about the letters that have been received? I'm seeing that that's a 'no', so we will leave this until further discussion later, if you would like.

So, then, item 4 is going to be papers to note. Item 4.1 is the correspondence from Sam Rowlands MS on his Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill. The letter from Sam Rowlands is from 15 April, and then there's a letter, again, to the Finance Committee on 15 April, and a letter from Sam Rowlands to the Children, Young People and Education Committee, again on 15 April. Members are invited to note the correspondence from Sam Rowlands to the committee, to the Finance Committee, and to the Children, Young People and Education Committee, in which he responds to the committees' reports on the Residential Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill.

Item 4.2 is correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to the Llywydd: the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. You'll see that that letter was sent on 16 April 2024. So, Members are invited again to note the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to the Llywydd in relation to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 20 March 2024. The Cabinet Secretary states that the Bill is jointly supported by the four UK Governments and that it is expected to largely be within the Senedd's legislative competence. The Cabinet Secretary also notes that it has not been possible to complete a detailed analysis and lay a legislative consent memorandum within the two-week deadline set out in Standing Orders due to, and I quote,

'the complexity and breadth of the provisions'

in the Bill, but that she intends to lay a memorandum in early May.

Eitem 4.3, correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language to the Llywydd on the supplementary legislative consent memorandum, memorandum No. 3, on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. That was sent on 17 April. Members are invited again to note the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, in which he responds further to the committee's report on the supplementary legislative consent memorandum, memorandum No. 3, on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. The Cabinet Secretary states that the discussions between the Welsh Government and the UK Government regarding the devolved implications of a number of provisions within the Bill have now concluded, and the Welsh Government has received a final package of proposed amendments from the UK Government. However, the Cabinet Secretary states that the Welsh Government has informed the UK Government that the proposed amendments are not sufficient and it has asked the UK Government to reconsider its position. The Cabinet Secretary also states that the Welsh Government will be laying a further supplementary legislative consent memorandum, memorandum No. 4, in respect of amendments tabled to the Bill, and that it will state that the Welsh Government will not be recommending that the Senedd consent to this Bill as it is currently drafted.

That brings me on to item 5, a motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting. Does the committee resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting—and I have to say, in accordance, again, with Standing Order 17.42? Do Members agree? Diolch, and now we can move into private session.