Welsh Government is 'piling up laws never delivered' - ex-minister

A FORMER minister has accused the Welsh Government of "piling up laws" that are "never delivered", painting a picture of a pattern of incompetence over the past decade.

- CHRIS HAINES

Labour's Alun Davies criticised a seven-year delay in introducing an environment bill to plug post-Brexit gaps which left Wales with some of the weakest protections in western Europe, according to environment charities.

Mr Davies said: "We've got to do more than pass declaratory legislation... [which] doesn't have any bite... All too often the vanity of politicians takes over and we believe we can change things quite fundamental and, usually, outside our control simply by passing laws."

He added: "I remember when this was important and an emergency back in 2018."

He accused Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy first minister, of being able to offer "no credible explanation" of why it has taken seven years to bring forward the environment bill.

Mr Davies stressed the delay was not a one-off, questioning why it took ministers about a decade to implement public health and renting laws too.