: It
is clear that the UK wishes to plough ahead and intentionally break
international agreements, whilst simultaneously hiding the Bill's
true intent, to attempt to take back control of this democratic
place, but with a new ability to top-slice the budget of Wales for
Tory priorities. What would this mean for the programme of
government that the people of Wales have democratically elected
this Government to carry out on their behalf? Would he agree with
me that this demands renewed concern around the distribution of the
shared prosperity fundand is, at its heart, an
attack on this democracy, devolution, and, Llywydd, an attack on
this place?
(Counsel General and Minister for European
Transition): Well, the Bill, if passed into law, would
constrain the actions not only of this Government, but successive
Welsh Governments, and, indeed, the effectiveness of this Senedd
to make the kind of ambitious changes in law and reform in Wales
that it would wish to make. I mentioned in my earlier question
the very practical ways in which this affects consumers and
citizens right across Wales. Some of the provisions in the Bill
are at odds with the Government of Wales Act 2006. Some wouldn't
prevent the Senedd from passing laws or Ministers making
regulations, but would effectively mean they couldn't be enforced
on the ground in Wales. Now, these are changes that run the
serious risk of limiting the actions of this Government and
future Governments to fulfil manifesto pledges and to be
ambitious on behalf of the people of Wales. She identifies in
particular the impact on the shared prosperity
fund. I think UK Government Ministers have been pretty
upfront about the fact that the provisions in the Bill would
provide UK Government Ministers with the powers to circumvent
powers that effectively have been those of Welsh Ministers to
manage the successor programmes to EU programmes in Wales—a clear
breach of the commitment made not to reverse the devolution
settlement and the powers of the Welsh Government in relation to
those successor programmes.
