Government of Wales Bill

Amendment No. 69 would remove the requirement on the Secretary of State to consult Welsh Ministers on changes to the date of an ordinary election, and replace it with a requirement for two thirds of all Assembly Members to vote in favour of such a change. The Secretary of State’s power to vary the date of an ordinary election would serve in exceptional circumstances; for example, if the nation were thrown into mourning. In such circumstances, I would expect there to be a national consensus. There would also be a problem with taking the decision in the way in which the hon. Gentleman proposes if the National Assembly were not sitting at the time. Amendment No. 70 would reduce the trigger for an extraordinary general election to a two-thirds majority of those voting, rather than of all Assembly Members. The calling of an extraordinary election would be a most serious occurrence. It would mean that no party or coalition had been able to form a viable Government. The Assembly would quickly fall into disrepute if an extraordinary general election could be triggered without being supported by two thirds of all Assembly Members. If our proposal increases the pressure to reach agreement on a viable Administration, that is exactly the intention. In practice, one would expect all Assembly Members to vote on such a serious issue. However, the Bill as drafted leaves no doubt as to what constitutes a two-thirds majority; it must equate to two thirds or more of all Assembly Members. The amendments would increase uncertainty at critical times in the life of the Assembly, and I therefore urge the hon. Gentleman to withdraw them.