UK Parliament / Open data

Wales Bill

Proceeding contribution from Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 11 November 2014. It occurred during Debate on bills on Wales Bill.

I thank the noble Lord for his intervention. I interpreted that phrase to mean that the decision should be made in Wales and that is what we will be seeking when we bring forward the amendment.

The Government do not accept that it would be right to impose on Wales a new franchise for elections to the Assembly or to local government as Amendments 3 and 11 seek to do, nor do we agree that this Bill should be the vehicle for devolving that power to the Assembly as Amendment 2 seeks to do. Devolving to Scotland the decision on whether 16 and 17 year-olds were able to vote in the referendum had no automatic read-across to the franchise for elections. As I have already mentioned, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has made it clear that he intends to begin discussions to seek cross-party consensus on the way forward for Welsh devolution. Electoral arrangements in Wales will form part of those discussions. That is the appropriate context for discussing these issues.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

757 cc171-2 

Session

2014-15

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords chamber
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