Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
The Government’s plans to improve the accessibility of Welsh law set out in ‘The Future of Welsh Law: a programme for 2021 – 2026’ are an important step on our journey to develop a modern, accessible, and bilingual body of law for Wales. We have identified Wales’ historic environment law as a suitable subject for the first project in an ambitious programme of legislative consolidation. I am delighted that today the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill has been laid before the Senedd Cymru.
Our current historic environment legislation has become a confusing jumble of repeatedly amended provisions. It is, moreover, largely based on two Westminster statutes that are now decades old, so the greater part of our historic environment legislation is only available in English.
The objective of this consolidation is to improve the accessibility of the historic environment legislation for Wales by providing a single, modern, bilingual Act for Wales. By introducing greater consistency into the language, form and operation of the law, it will be easier to understand and apply and will better support the effective protection and management of the unique historic environment of Wales.
I will be making a legislative statement in Plenary tomorrow, 5 July, and I look forward to working with Members of the Senedd during their consideration of the Bill over the coming months.