Reform is the driving force behind the Welsh Government Bills
which will be introduced in Wales over the next year. Announcing
his legislative priorities, the First Minister said the Bills
will make positive change for the people of Wales.
Legislation to be introduced in the next Senedd term include:
- A Bus Bill to reform and improve bus
services, putting people before profit, to match what our
communities need.
- A Disused Tips Safety Bill will be a world
first in managing disused tips, reforming current laws around
coal tip safety and give greater security to the people living in
their shadow.
-
A Welsh Language Education Bill to increase
the number of people who can speak Welsh and to protect our
Welsh-speaking communities.
- A Bill to deliver the Government’s
commitment to reduce the democratic deficit in Wales and develop
an electoral system fit for the twenty-first
century.
- A Local Government Finance Bill to reform
the council tax and non-domestic rates systems so they’re aligned
to changes in market conditions and are more responsive to
pressures faced by people and organisations.
A once-in-a-generation Bill to reform the Senedd
will be introduced in the Autumn, to create a modern Senedd,
better able to represent the people of Wales, with increased
capacity to scrutinise, make laws, and hold the Government to
account.
In addition, a bill will be brought forward, building on the
provisions in the Bill to reform the Senedd, to introduce
gender quotas for candidates for election to the
Senedd, with the aim of making our Parliament more representative
of the people it serves.
The First Minister also committed to introducing important
legislation to eliminate private profit from the care of
looked after children, and legislation to
introduce direct payments for continuing health
care and make amendments to help the workforce operate
more effectively.
The First Minister said:
“This forthcoming year will have an unrelenting focus on reform
to make positive changes in the lives of the people of Wales.
“This is an ambitious and radical programme of reform, which will
modernise parts of our tax and electoral system, ensure we put
the needs of looked-after children ahead of profits, and create a
Senedd which reflects the Wales we live in today.
“Our reforms will transform bus services, giving people greater
choice about how they travel, and help us towards our ambition of
a million Welsh-speakers by 2050.”
Beyond the 12 month programme the First Minister announced today,
the Government’s legislative priorities for the remainder of this
Senedd term will include Bills to deliver commitments in the
Programme for Government and Co-Operation Agreement with Plaid
Cymru, relating to homelessness and building safety, a visitor
levy, tourism, tax, transport, environment and justice.”
Further consolidation Bills will also be brought forward this
Senedd to improve the accessibility of Welsh law. The Counsel
General will set out more detail on these plans as part of his
annual progress report on the accessibility programme.
