Group 1: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: name of the Commission (Amendments 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 49, 50, 51, 115, 52)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:00 pm on 30 April 2024.

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Photo of Adam Price Adam Price Plaid Cymru 4:00, 30 April 2024

(Translated)

I'm grateful to Members for their contributions, and it's no surprise that this amendment will not achieve a majority. But I do believe that it is important to put on record, as the Counsel General suggested, the broad and increasing range of functions that this commission will have. It's been said, as a criticism on occasion, that I as a politician, and that Plaid Cymru as a party, perhaps, have never identified a problem that we don't want to create a national institution around. That's not quite true, but the creation of national institutions is important. It is part of solving the problems and challenges that we face and delivering our potential, and creating a new national organisation, a newly drawn-up organisation, that evolves and grows in the field of democracy and democratic well-being is something, I think, that we should all welcome.

In terms of the title, I would prefer the shortened title myself. There is something more elegant, perhaps, about such a title. Perhaps 'the democracy commission' is the term that people will use orally and informally. When the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire was created in 1949, I believe, 'the council for Wales' was the term that was used, including by the chair himself, Huw T. Edwards. So, perhaps the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru will become 'the democracy commission' to all intents and purposes. There's a great deal of work, a programme of work, and a very full agenda that we will all want to contribute towards during the exciting times before us. But, with that, I seek the Senedd's leave to withdraw this amendment, and I won't push it to a vote.