South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has warned devolving policing to the Senedd would weaken authorities’ ability to protect Wales from terrorism.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Davies emphasised that if Plaid Cymru separatists had their way and broke up the United Kingdom, policing in Wales would be fundamentally weakened.
He asked the First Minister if she agreed that the United Kingdom is the best way to deliver law and order over the “narrow, separatist independence argument”.
In response, Eluned Morgan said “we’ll never have the kind of absolute expertise in terrorism that you may get in a place like London. We would have to work with them and depend on them.”
Mr Davies said this lack of expertise demonstrated the dangers of putting the Senedd in charge of policing.
Instead, he said it should remain the responsibility of the British Government.
Mr Davies said:
“Senedd ministers have admitted they’ll never have the necessary expertise to deal with terrorism and they’d have to depend on the British Government.
“This shows why policing must not be devolved.
“Putting the Senedd in charge of policing would put our communities at risk.”
ENDS
NOTES:
Please find below the Senedd’s record of proceedings from Tuesday 3rd February
https://record.senedd.wales/Plenary/15754#C746182
Andrew R.T. Davies
13:35:20
First Minister, you and I will disagree in terms of policing—where it would be best located, whether that be in Westminster or here in Cardiff. But one thing I think we will both agree on is that, if the separatists had their way and they broke up the United Kingdom, policing would be fundamentally weakened in these islands and the criminals will benefit from it. So, will you agree with me that the United Kingdom is the best entity to deliver law and order through these islands, because that co-operative working and that strong union, working together, of the countries of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland protects the citizens of this great country of ours and that’s what we should be focused on, rather than the narrow, separatist, independent argument that the other side always throws at us?
Eluned Morgan
13:36:08
We want to see strong devolution in a strong UK. That is absolutely clear, and I believe we’re the only party who wants to see that. Let me also make it clear that we want to see change when it comes to policing, not because we want to see constitutional reform for the sake of it, on a road to independence, but because we want—[Interruption.]—we want to see better provision for the people in Wales. It is important, I think, when we design a replacement for the new police commissioners that it’s a real opportunity for us to grab this agenda, to talk about a different way of accountability, and we will continue pushing for that to happen. It of course makes sense for us to co-operate across the border when it comes to policing, when it makes sense. Just think about terrorism; we’ll never have the kind of absolute expertise in terrorism that you may get in a place like London. We would have to work with them and depend on them—not something you could do in an independent Wales.
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