Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Justice: Devolution of Responsibility

Tuesday 20 February 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government believes that justice should remain a reserved matter for Wales.
  • The Minister is willing to meet the Counsel General for Wales to discuss the matter.
  • The Minister argues that Wales benefits from being part of a larger, successful justice system.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Beth Winter
Justice & Courts Wales
Context

The question arises from discussions about devolving responsibility for justice to the Welsh Government.

Question

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving responsibility for justice to the Welsh Government.

Answer from Mike Freer

The Government are clear that it is in the best interests of the people of Wales for justice to remain a reserved matter. The current arrangement works well and allows Wales to benefit from being part of a larger, world-renowned justice system. Devolving justice to Wales would mean losing those benefits and would be extremely expensive and complex, requiring the duplication of functions.

Answered
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Q2 Beth Winter
Wales Democracy & Elections Local Government
Context

Following the publication of a final report by an independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales, the First Minister confirmed that the Welsh Government supports the devolution of the justice system. He stated they need to explore governance and financial arrangements.

Question

When will the Minister meet the Counsel General for Wales to discuss the devolution of justice?

Answer from Mike Freer

If the representatives for the Welsh Government wish to meet me, I am more than happy to explain why Wales being part of the English and Welsh legal system remains the preferred option for this Government. Why would Wales want to leave the most successful legal services system in the world?

Not addressed: The meeting with the Counsel General for Wales to discuss devolution.

How: Explaining Why Remaining Part Of The English And Welsh Legal System Is Preferred

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