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| Ministers can protect farm wages following court ruling | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Welsh ministers can protect the wages of 13,000 farm workers, in light of a ruling by the Supreme Court. | |
| It comes after a dispute over whether Wales had the power to set minimum wages, or if that right laid with the UK government. | It comes after a dispute over whether Wales had the power to set minimum wages, or if that right laid with the UK government. |
| UK Attorney General Dominic Grieve originally blocked a law passed by AMs last year, saying it was not within the assembly's powers. | UK Attorney General Dominic Grieve originally blocked a law passed by AMs last year, saying it was not within the assembly's powers. |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones said the ruling was "significant". | First Minister Carwyn Jones said the ruling was "significant". |
| He called for Wales to move to a form of devolution where powers are assumed to rest with the assembly in cases like this, unless legislation specifically rules this out, | He called for Wales to move to a form of devolution where powers are assumed to rest with the assembly in cases like this, unless legislation specifically rules this out, |
| The ruling was also welcomed by opposition parties in the assembly. | The ruling was also welcomed by opposition parties in the assembly. |
| Constitutional importance | Constitutional importance |
| The dispute, which had to be settled by the Supreme Court, came after the assembly passed a law last year to set minimum wages, and the terms and conditions, of agricultural workers in Wales after the UK government abolished the Agricultural Wages Board, which had regulated the sector. | The dispute, which had to be settled by the Supreme Court, came after the assembly passed a law last year to set minimum wages, and the terms and conditions, of agricultural workers in Wales after the UK government abolished the Agricultural Wages Board, which had regulated the sector. |
| The Supreme Court considers cases of public or constitutional importance, and Mr Jones said its ruling would mean the the lowest paid agricultural workers in Wales would now have a "degree of protection" they would not otherwise have had. | The Supreme Court considers cases of public or constitutional importance, and Mr Jones said its ruling would mean the the lowest paid agricultural workers in Wales would now have a "degree of protection" they would not otherwise have had. |
| "This is a significant judgment of the Supreme Court which goes some way to clarifying the complexities of the current devolution settlement," he said. | "This is a significant judgment of the Supreme Court which goes some way to clarifying the complexities of the current devolution settlement," he said. |
| "It is the second unanimous judgment in our favour, and a clear vindication of the way our relatively new Welsh law-making powers are being interpreted by the Welsh government." | "It is the second unanimous judgment in our favour, and a clear vindication of the way our relatively new Welsh law-making powers are being interpreted by the Welsh government." |
| The Agricultural Sector Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent later this month, allowing Welsh ministers to create an Agricultural Advisory Panel, to set minimum wage levels. | The Agricultural Sector Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent later this month, allowing Welsh ministers to create an Agricultural Advisory Panel, to set minimum wage levels. |
| The Welsh government said the panel would also "promote skills development and career progression within the agricultural sector". | The Welsh government said the panel would also "promote skills development and career progression within the agricultural sector". |
| Devolution arrangements | Devolution arrangements |
| But the first minster warned "we cannot continue to have bill after bill passed by our democratically-elected assembly, then referred to the Supreme Court, with all the time, cost and uncertainty that involves". | But the first minster warned "we cannot continue to have bill after bill passed by our democratically-elected assembly, then referred to the Supreme Court, with all the time, cost and uncertainty that involves". |
| Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Russell George welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, but blamed "rushed" legislation for much of the confusion over the agricultural bill. | Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Russell George welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, but blamed "rushed" legislation for much of the confusion over the agricultural bill. |
| "The inevitable result was sloppy law-making, doubts over competence, and months of uncertainty for Welsh farmers," he said. | "The inevitable result was sloppy law-making, doubts over competence, and months of uncertainty for Welsh farmers," he said. |
| Plaid Cymru agriculture spokesman Llyr Gruffydd said the current devolution arrangements were "not fit for purpose" and "far beyond their "use by date". | Plaid Cymru agriculture spokesman Llyr Gruffydd said the current devolution arrangements were "not fit for purpose" and "far beyond their "use by date". |
| "The case for moving to a reserved powers model has been made and has been accepted by all parties in the assembly, and adopting this model would avoid these unnecessary delays." | "The case for moving to a reserved powers model has been made and has been accepted by all parties in the assembly, and adopting this model would avoid these unnecessary delays." |
| Liberal Democrat Eluned Parrott agreed Wales should move to a form of devolution more like the Scottish system, that she said had "worked smoothly" since 1999 "with no legal challenges at all to Scottish legislation". | Liberal Democrat Eluned Parrott agreed Wales should move to a form of devolution more like the Scottish system, that she said had "worked smoothly" since 1999 "with no legal challenges at all to Scottish legislation". |
| She said: "Essentially, rather than Westminster informing Wales what it can legislate on, we should instead have a system where it is made clear what Wales can't legislate on." | She said: "Essentially, rather than Westminster informing Wales what it can legislate on, we should instead have a system where it is made clear what Wales can't legislate on." |