---

Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

moved Amendment No. 108: 108: Clause 118, page 87, line 19, leave out ““English”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, the history behind the initial exclusion of Wales from the Bill is long and convoluted. Having spotted this anomaly, I am grateful to the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, and the Minister for Health and Social Services, Edwina Hart, for meeting me during the Recess and spending time on the issue. I am also grateful to Alun Michael MP, and the 25 signatories to Early Day Motion 1254 in the other place, which supports my efforts to amend the Bill, and to Huw Irranca-Davies, a Minister in the Wales Office, who met me yesterday and was most helpful. I was therefore delighted today to receive an e-mail, which I should like to quote for the record, which states: "““The Government aim to table the amendment later this week for Third Reading. The Government amendment will give the Assembly Ministers the option to request the powers laid out in ""this Bill at anytime in the future, if they determine there is a need for this legislation, they can request for it to be given to them via an Affirmative Order (delegated legislation), as is the case for Northern Ireland in the aforementioned Bill””." That is exactly what I wanted. The clause is important as it provides for action prior to an assault happening. It is, in effect, designed to prevent assault if at all possible. The Assembly has had an extensive consultation on violence in the workplace and has its task force on the issue, so it is quite appropriate that it should be able to trigger the commencement of this when it decides that it should. I hope the ability of the Assembly to use the clause will serve it well in the future. It was important to rectify the anomaly, as criminal justice is outside the competencies of the Government of Wales Act and the Ministry of Justice retains England and Wales responsibilities. I will be pleased to withdraw my amendment in anticipation of one to be tabled by the Minister. I invite him to confirm the e-mail for the record. I beg to move.