WAG's loser attitude is no champion for Wales

1.30.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 3rd Jul 2008

Controversy over the Learner Travel Measure has remained high, with the Minister refusing point blank to strengthen legislation for learner travel on safety issues on the grounds of legal inability.

The Minister has continued to claim that his legal advice states that the National Assembly does not have the powers to legislate on the nature of buses, which contradicts legal advice given to the committee.

The WAG has voted down a joint amendment that called upon the Minister to issue guidance on the 'nature' of buses, which could have included jurisdiction over seatbelts, condition of buses etc.

Kirsty Williams AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, has expressed her concern that WAG's 'can't do attitude' and lack of vision is holding Wales back.

Kirsty Williams said: "Whilst we are waiting on London to give us these powers, potentially through a long drawn out LCO, I am calling upon the Government to test its existing powers by including this amendment. These changes could lead to a vast improvement to the standards of our school buses and the safety of our children.

"Our committee lawyer assures us that the amendment is not ultra vires and I am willing to test this for the sake of the safety of our children and for the sake of devolution.

"The WAG is hiding behind legal arguments which cannot be lost or won outside a court of law but is unwilling to test them.

"I am shocked by their lack of vision and blinkered mindset - surely as a new administration they want to push their abilities to the limit, to strive to get the best the can for Wales and move the nation forward yet they are held back by their 'can't do attitude'."

The Minister has also refuted the amendment on the grounds that the Enterprise and Learning Committee did not include such a recommendation in its report on the draft measure.

"The issue of the Enterprise & Learning Committee's report is a red herring - it was not for the committee to look at the legislation line by line and we should instead have had a Stage One Committee for this procedure.

"The Minister is using the report to deflect from the line he is taking now. The Committee's report was one of consensus and the majority of members were from the Government's own benches. He cannot hide behind the report."

Notes:

If the amendment was passed by the Welsh Assembly but later found to be in breach of the law it would eventually be taken to the High Court for a decision.

The list of amendments can be found at: http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-legislation/bus-leg-measures/bus-committees-third-ltm-home/bus-legislation-meas-lt-stage2.htm