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Government of Wales Bill

I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth, that this is not the correct Bill to lower the voting age to 16. I cannot see how we could have different voting ages in different parts of the United Kingdom, and I am not sure whether the noble Lord, Lord Livsey of Talgarth, means voting at 16 just for the Welsh Assembly elections, or for all elections in Wales: local government, parliamentary and European. The noble Lord said that the provision would encourage 16 year-olds to get more involved in politics and be more interested in voting. I am not too sure about that. I am not sure how many 18 year-olds vote. If we had 16 year-olds voting in Wales, there could be an even lower percentage of the electorate voting if they did not take up the right to vote. If we suggest that 16 year-olds should get the vote, we should have a UK consultation—not just a Welsh one—for it. We need a much bigger discussion than simply slotting this amendment into the Bill. For that reason, I oppose the amendment.