Ministers urged to avoid court challenge

Ministers urged to avoid court challenge

Welsh ministers have been warned to make sure plans to increase the number of politicians in the Senedd are not hit by a legal challenge over gender quotas.

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Proposals to increase MSs from 60 to 96 include one aimed at boosting the representation of women.

But parts of the UK's law on equality are controlled by Westminster.

A senior politician said ministers must write the new law in a way it "cannot be successfully challenged".

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, who was chairman of a committee looking at options for Senedd reform, wants the changes in place for the 2026 Senedd election.

Options could include bringing forward two separate bills in case the gender quota legislation has to be considered by the Supreme Court.

Speaking to Walescast, BBC Wales' politics podcast, Mr Irranca-Davies said the Welsh government must consider a "what if scenario".

"The worst case scenario where a challenge would drag this, or an element of this, into the long grass, that is something that Welsh government lawyers need to think about very carefully in crafting this bill."

He said: "In taking forward that legislation they need to make sure that if there were to be any challenge… that this bill would not be derailed."