Clause 1
Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Cheryl Gillan (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Wales; Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)
I move on to a general introduction to the Bill. Clause 1 is the establishment clause that sets up the office of Commissioner for Older People in Wales. The post will be established once the Bill passes through Parliament. I commend the Government on the amount of work that has already gone into bringing the Bill to this stage and into establishing the position of commissioner.
We all appreciate that the Bill has taken some time to reach consideration in Committee. It started in another place many months ago and underwent considerable scrutiny there, and we are grateful to all those who participated in the debate. The consultation process on the Bill was particularly interesting. I believe that the Government sent the draft Bill to some 1,700 organisations, and that there were 98 responses, of which 94 per cent. were in favour of establishing the Commissioner for Older People in Wales. There was support for the proposals, although, as with everything, the devil has been in the detail. If I am correct, the Bill contains 11 powers, one duty to make subordinate legislation, and two powers to issue directions—powers which will fall to the Assembly.
I have some general questions for the Minister on clause 1. Has any thought been given to where the offices for the commissioner will be located, and how many offices there will be? Will they be only in south Wales—in Cardiff—or will there be offices in north or west Wales or elsewhere in the country? Also, as the legislation contains a Welsh translation of the commissioner’s title, and given the very nature of the constituents with whom the commissioner will be dealing, what arrangements will be made for Braille, audio tapes and signing, so that those skills will be available either through the commissioner himself, or herself, or through members of staff? It would be helpful if the Minister could set out the surrounding facts and figures, particularly on how the office intends to communicate with its constituents and on where it may be located.