Oral Answers to Questions

Beth Winter Excerpts

Tuesday 20th February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Gareth Bacon]

There is a cost to justice. People who are found guilty of crime based on the evidence presented to a court of law have been sentenced, and there is a cost to their incarceration. Simply put, the cost of incarcerating people is not a reason to review the law.

[Beth Winter (Cynon Valley) (Lab)]

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

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (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.

[Beth Winter]

Following the publication last month of the final report by the independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales, the First Minister of Wales confirmed unambiguously that it is the policy of the Welsh Government, and indeed of the Welsh Labour party, to support the devolution of the justice system. In pursuing the devolution of the Probation Service, he said:

“We will have to explore…governance…financial arrangements”

and the interface between Welsh and English services. When will the Minister meet the Counsel General for Wales to discuss the devolution of justice?

[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?