SENEDD Members criticised the UK employment rights bill for “undermining” devolution and the Welsh Parliament’s role, warning of “dangerous” constitutional implications for Wales.

Luke Fletcher backed the principles of the bill: “Day-one rights for workers, zero-hours contracts being revised, removing restrictions on unions [and] ending fire and rehire.”

But the Plaid Cymru politician expressed serious concerns about powers in the bill for UK ministers to override decisions made by the Welsh Government.

He told the Senedd: “We are seeing provisions that encroach on the ability of this [Welsh] Government and this place to legislate on behalf of the people of Wales.”

Mr Fletcher said: “In the same way the Welsh Government would’ve opposed such a power grab in the days of a Tory government, I would hope they would do exactly the same now.”

His colleague Mabon ap Gwynfor expressed grave concerns as Senedd Members debated a legislative consent motion (LCM), the mechanism used to signify consent for UK bills.

He warned: “The way that this [Welsh] Government has actually introduced this, and the way that the Westminster government has approached it, is dangerous. It undermines the Welsh Government – it undermines this parliament – and it undermines devolution.”

Mr ap Gwynfor criticised so-called Henry VIII powers for UK ministers to change or overturn a law passed by the Welsh Parliament. “To me, that is entirely unacceptable,” he said.

Under the bill, Welsh ministers would need to obtain the consent of the UK Government before using powers to create a fair pay body for social care.

“We can’t continue to legislate in this way,” Mr ap Gwynfor said. “With powers being taken away from our parliament and our democratic voice being undermined time and time again.”

Warning of no Welsh scrutiny of the bill, he added that Welsh ministers opposed the use of Henry VIII powers but failed to convince their Labour colleagues in Westminster.

Mike Hedges said the Senedd’s legislation committee felt it was unsatisfactory that regulations could be used to create a devolved body under the bill.

The Labour committee chair said the Welsh Government was not content, “exhausting all reasonable avenues to challenge it” but not pursuing an amendment in the House of Lords.

Peter Fox, who chairs the health committee, expressed similar concerns, saying: “The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to promote fair pay in the social care workforce, yet has not brought forward its own bill.

“The effect of this choice is to severely limit the opportunities for stakeholders in Wales to be involved in the legislative process and for the Senedd to examine the policy in detail.”

Warning of a £5bn cost to businesses, his Conservative colleague Altaf Hussain said his party would vote against providing consent to the employment rights bill.

He told the Senedd: “Although the intentions behind this legislation appear commendable, I am concerned about the significant burden it will impose on businesses across the UK.”

Labour’s Hannah Blythyn, a proud trade unionist, defended the bill, stressing: “Whether we like it or not, employment rights are reserved and not enforceable at a Wales-specific level.

“If workers in the social care sector in Wales are not in scope of a UK social care negotiation body, employers would only be expected to provide the statutory minimum with regards to pay, terms and conditions, potentially disadvantaging more than 85,000 workers in Wales.”

Ms Blythyn said: “To not pass this LCM does risk leaving workers in the care sector in Wales behind, many of whom are predominantly lower paid women workers.

“I think we need to see this as a way of progressing worker rights in a sector that radically needs reform, a sector that society depends upon and a workforce, at different times in life, to whom we entrust our nearest and most dearest.”

Jack Sargeant, who is minister for fair work in the Welsh Government, said the bill will be the single biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.

Mr Sargeant told Senedd Members: “It enhances employment rights, it strengthens enforcement and it removes unnecessary restrictions on trade unions.”

He agreed with Ms Blythyn, one of his predecessors as minister: “I do note some of the concerns from some members in the contributions today but we do believe it’s very much in the best interest of the social care sector and social care workers in Wales.”

He criticised Tory opposition. “That’s no surprise at all,” he said. “Their party, when they were in power in Westminster, consistently tried to undermine workers’ rights for 14 years.”

Senedd Members voted 27-13 in favour of the LCM on July 15, with Plaid Cymru abstaining.

THE EARLY early stages of a scheme for a new link bridge and floating pontoon for Fishguard’s ferry and associated works have been submitted to the national park, as part of multimillion-pound development which would provide better facilities for passengers and vehicles.

In an ‘observation’ application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the unnamed applicant, believed to be Stena Line, seeks a long string of proposals.

The submission, not accompanied by any published supporting documents, includes the replacement of the existing linkspan bridge and jack up barge with new floating linkspan pontoon to serve Stena line ferry at Fishguard Harbour.

A linkspan is a type of drawbridge used mainly in the operation of moving vehicles on and off a roll-on/roll-off vessel or ferry.

It also includes capital dredging of 78,000m3, with disposal at licensed site in Milford Haven, along with a piled reinforced concrete bankseat; tubular steel guide pile; reclamation to facilitate extension to the road and pedestrian network.

It also includes the demolition of structures, including a disused RNLI slipway; rock armour revetment with toe detail to tie into scour protection; storm sewer extension; and ancillary and temporary works.

The published observation scheme has been marked as a response.

Stena Line is currently in the process of applying to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for a marine licence application for the replacement linkspan at Fishguard Port, via its agents RPS  Consulting UK & Ireland.

The submitted documents state that Stena Line proposes to replace the existing temporary arrangement of a linkspan and jack-up barge within Fishguard Harbour.

The minutes from a recent meeting of Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council suggest that this development will cost in the region of £15.5 million.

“The proposed development, providing a replacement pontoon, will allow safe berthing of the ferry, and provide an improved facility for passenger and vehicular access to vessels within the port,” state documents provided to NRW.

The planning boundary of the proposed development is encompassed by Fishguard Harbour, within Fishguard Bay.

Stena Line Ltd owns a floating pontoon, which they want to relocate to Fishguard.

Because the proposed development is within the boundaries of the West Wales Marine SAC and in proximity to other marine SACs, Stena has had to submit environmental statements to NRW. The most recent was submitted at the beginning of last month.

PLANS to convert the Sunday School building of Haverfordwest’s former Wesleyan Chapel, once the site of a regular place for preaching by the founding father of Methodism, to six flats have been approved.

An application to council planners, Mr S Lavrinovics of Northampton, through agent Vitaly + Partners ltd, sought permission for the conversion of the Chapel Lane building.

Accompanying documents say Haverfordwest was a regular place of preaching for John Wesley, the founding father of Methodism, first visiting in 1763, with the first chapel built in 1772. By 1781 there were 60 members in the town, the largest congregation in the Pembrokeshire Circuit.

The chapel was rebuilt in 1818 and enlarged in 1835; the adjoining schoolroom built in 1874, with further chapel works in 1880-1.

The chapel closed in 1985, and the interior was stripped for use as an antiques showroom.

A heritage statement accompanying the application said: “The works on internal alternations of former school building started in 2014 after planning permission was approved. Then other records show that works has re-started in 2020. There are previous building inspector assessment notes available for more details. Since there has been numerous of owners and works started again in 2024.”

It added: “The main factor to support proposed development is in fact it was approved few times in the past. The works already began, and the original layout and external elements are already altered.

“The building was abandoned and not maintained in any way. It did not look pretty and had a negative impact on the residents of the town.  The building has had its original use adopted numerous of times to suit the needs of the particular time period and serve the town accordingly.

“The maintenance work to the building has already shown how much cleaner and more beautiful the building appearance became and it has had good impact on the residents who shared their views on social media talking positively about the renovation works on the building.”

The application was conditionally approved, an officer report saying the proposal, subject to conditions “will have a neutral impact on the character of the listed building”.