Clause 2 - Principal aim of the Commissioner
Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill
6:15 pm
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley, Conservative)
I am grateful for that intervention. The simple answer is no, I received no legal advice. The hon. Gentleman is right—I am not a lawyer, I am proud to say. [Interruption.] As my hon. Friend the Member for North Dorset says, I am a humble shopkeeper.
On common sense grounds alone, I do not understand why the Bill cannot include a requirement to pay regard to the convention. I recognise the hon. Gentleman's concern about making the Bill defective, but neither do I want to make it ineffective. If we can make it more effective by ensuring that it pays due regard to the convention, we should seriously consider doing so.
I shall not press the amendment to a vote. However, it gives us an opportunity to review the legality of the matter in the light of comments by the Minister, children's charities and the Assembly. If we can strengthen the Bill by including the convention without incorporating it—at the same time ensuring that we do not make the Bill defective—we should revisit that possibility.
I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.