MS accuses Senedd officials of blocking scrutiny of ministers

Emily Price

A Welsh Conservative Member of the Senedd has accused Welsh parliament officials of trying to block his attempts to scrutinise government ministers.

Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg MS Andrew RT Davies said the Senedd had become more “obstructive” since the election in May.

In a post to Facebook, the former Welsh Tory leader accused the table office of attempting to block questions he had raised about a travellers’ site in Brocastle in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Davies warned that the unapproved encampment is situated on Welsh Government-owned land and that it has drawn local complaints about anti social behaviour.

The Welsh Tory MS said that when he attempted to submit a question on the issue, the Senedd’s table office asked him to provide a link to a news report before his query could be processed.

“This is not their job,” he said.

The Welsh Conservative argued that many issues went unreported in the Welsh press and that this made it more important for MSs to be able to raise them in the Senedd.

He said: “Since the election, I’ve found the Senedd’s Table Office far more obstructive in my attempts to scrutinise ministers.

“In relation to the illegal travellers site at Brocastle, which is causing misery for residents who’ve had to put up with theft, threats and anti-social behaviour, the Table Office asked me to provide a link to a press story about the issue before processing.

“This is not their job. In any case, many issues go unreported in the press. If anything, it’s more important to ask questions about these.

“I get Plaid Cymru separatist ministers have had lots of questions to answer, but that’s what scrutiny is about.

“The Table Office should not be filtering questions like this.”

In another post published yesterday, Davies said he had been pressing Welsh ministers and police on the the Brocastle encampment “for many weeks”.

He raised concerns about South Wales Police’s latest response, which said: “Local teams have been in continued engagement with Bridgend County Borough Council and representatives towards the progressive, lawful and safe removal of travellers from the land.”

Davies argued that “progressivism is a left wing political ideology associated with a soft approach to crime”.

He added: “It’s not a term the police should be using when dealing with illegal activity.

“Rather than pledging to ensure the ‘progressive’ removal of this illegal travellers encampment, the police should ensure those responsible are dealt with swiftly and robustly”.

The process for asking questions in the Senedd depends on whether they are oral or written.

For regular oral questions to the First Minister and cabinet ministers, the table office holds a ballot to determine which MSs can table a question.

Those selected must formally submit their question at least five days before the Plenary session, with a computer programme then randomly determining the order in which questions are asked.

Opposition leaders and group spokespeople can also ask supplementary questions without prior notice during these sessions.

MSs face fewer restrictions when submitting written questions, with no limit on the number they can put to the Welsh Government or Senedd Commission.

Answers are published in the Senedd’s official record of proceedings.

Where an issue is particularly urgent or important, Members can also request a topical or emergency question.

The table office doesn’t require MSs to provide links to news stories that relate to their question, however officials will sometimes ask for links to use as context.

They also sometimes ask an MS to rephrase a question for clarity.

A Senedd Commission spokesperson said: “The Table Office advises Members on admissibility in line with the Senedd’s long-established, agreed rules – and has discussed these concerns with the Member directly”

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