Janet Finch-Saunders MS has taken the Welsh Government to task over their fast-tracking of legislation through the Welsh Parliament without proper scrutiny.
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy questioned Mick Antoniw, the Counsel General, over Labour’s decision to rush the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill through the Senedd.
Following a request by the Welsh Government, the Business Committee agreed not to refer the Bill to a responsible committee for Stage 1 scrutiny.
According to the Business Committee’s report, one of the reasons why the Welsh Government requested an expedited timetable for Senedd scrutiny was ‘due to its intention to use the Bill…to support its case in relation to the UK Internal Market Act in the Supreme Court’.
Speaking in the Senedd, Janet said:
“I am shocked at the lack of accountability from the Welsh Labour Government regarding their actions, and the dubious pretences under which this bill was rushed through.
“After the Welsh Government succeeded to cut our democratic scrutiny short, and passed the bill, the Welsh Government advised the Legislation, Justice and constitution Committee on the 16th of January that they had chosen not to use the legislation to challenge the Internal Market Act after all.
“The Welsh Government has played fast and loose with the Welsh Parliament's powers to use the legislative process to benefit their own legal agenda.
“The Welsh Government should apologise for their actions: the reason for changing any law is in order to achieve the objective of the legislation, not to pursue Labour’s politically-motivated legal battles”.
ENDS
