WALES’ new counsel general made his first appearance at Senedd questions, defending his political impartiality while facing scrutiny over grooming gangs, the deteriorating state of court buildings and cross-border NHS care. 

Elfyn Llwyd, a former Plaid Cymru MP, was quizzed by Senedd Members on Tuesday June 30.

The counsel general is the Welsh Government’s law officer, as well as the government’s chief legal advisor and representative in the courts – and takes questions from MSs once every four weeks.

His opposite number on the Reform benches, Adrian Mason, questioned Mr Llwyd on political ambition, impartiality, and transparency.

Addressing Mr Llwyd, shadow counsel general Mr Mason said: “Your duty is not to party line, or to political ends, but to law and public interest. As shadow counsel general, my task is to test the law that this government brings forward.

“I hope our dealings can be serious, fair, and based on law, as opposed to party point-scoring.”

Mr Mason asked Mr Llwyd if he will be guided by the law on matters where “the law and political ambition point in opposite directions”.

Noting that he would be “pleased” to meet with Mr Mason to discuss his shadow brief “at any time”, the counsel general told the Siambr that he would not be “drawn into any political, oblique legal matters at this stage”.

Mr Mason also questioned the counsel general on Plaid Cymru’s constitutional aims, particularly that of independence. 

He said: “I remain concerned about your party’s constitutional direction. Changes to the law, the courts, or the powers of this place must be judged by plain tests: what issues will they address, what will they cost, who will be in charge, and have the people of Wales clearly supported them?

“So, will you accept that any major change must be clear, costed, and put to the people in a way they can understand?”

Mr Mason called on the counsel general to ensure he will not support “change by legal or political stealth” and will instead be “fully open with the Welsh people in the transparent way they’re entitled to expect”.

Responding, the counsel general said: “I am here to advise government, without fear or favour.

“That is what I shall do. I shall do my best to give them the best possible legal advice, and it’s for others to decide on future policy, on the constitution, and everything else.”

Mike Hedges – who is Labour’s legislation spokesperson – questioned the counsel general for his views on the standard of court buildings in Wales. 

He asked if Mr Llwyd had spoken with Lady Chief Justice Carr – the head of the judiciary of England and Wales – and with the Lord Chancellor, to discuss the state of court buildings in Wales.

Describing the state of court buildings as “absolutely appalling”, Mr Llwyd said: “It is a reserved matter, since the Lord Chancellor sends the odd pound or two to repair a leaky roof every now and then. The state of the court buildings are appalling.”

The counsel general confirmed he will be meeting with Lady Chief Justice Carr and will raise the issue in their discussion.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar told the Siambr that just last week, the UK Government’s grooming gangs inquiry identified the first locations that it intends to look at – none of which were in Wales. 

Mr Millar described this as “very very disappointing”, noting that previous inquiries have found grooming gang activity in the Swansea area.

He called on the counsel general to reveal what discussions he has had with those responsible for the inquiry “to make sure that no stone is left unturned in identifying the scale of these problems in Wales”.

Mr Llwyd said: “I believe that the way forward for me to answer this question properly is to say that I will engage with my colleague, who has responsibility for negotiations with the bodies that decide where inquiries take place, and that those matters can be properly and deeply investigated, and an answer forthcoming before long.”

Mr Millar highlighted the experiences of victims, sharing the story of Emily Vaughn. He said: “[She] has spoken powerfully about her awful experiences, having been raped hundreds of times by individuals involved in these gangs and having been trafficked from one place to another, and from Wales into other parts of the United Kingdom, in order to suffer that abuse that she experienced.”

Mr Millar called on Mr Llwyd to reach out to grooming gang victims to find out how they want the Welsh Government to influence the inquiry.

The counsel general replied: “The whole chamber has heard what he said, and the whole chamber is disgusted and concerned about what’s happening to these young people – there’s no question about that. But my remit does not extend to what he asks me to do.

“However, he’s been heard loud and clear, and I hope that this could be the beginning of a conversation with colleagues who are able to take it further.

“The matter that he raises is important, but I can tell him this: if I were ever asked to give any legal advice in connection with this, then it would be without fear or favour, always.”

The counsel general was also quizzed on cross-border healthcare arrangements between Wales and England. 

Reform MS Andrew Griffin pressed Mr Llwyd to share what legal advice he has provided to the Welsh Government on “the extent to which cross-border healthcare arrangements between Wales and England are underpinned by administrative agreements, or by enforceable statutory or contractual obligations”.

Admitting he is aware of the problems that sometimes occur cross-border, Mr Llwyd described cross-border healthcare as a “routine and essential part of NHS delivery.”

Mr Griffin demanded clarification on whether the counsel general is “satisfied that current cross-border healthcare arrangements would withstand a change in legislative competence without requiring renegotiation”.

Mr Llwyd replied: “There is legislation in Wales and also in England that expressly allows services to be provided and also commissioned across territorial boundaries. 

“NHS bodies also have powers and duties to co-operate and work jointly, supporting integrated cross-border provision, and, in practice, these statutory foundations are complemented by structured commissioning and service agreements between organisations.”

Plaid Cymru’s Elwyn Vaughan noted the financial pressures which can arise from cross-border care.

He told the Siambr that, last year, NHS England undertook a “revaluation of emergency care costs” – which led to increased fees above normal inflationary costs which are underwritten by the government.

Mr Vaughan said: “This led to an additional cost of £3.8 million last year, and it’s likely to be an extra £4 million in 2026/27.

“On top of that, Wye Valley NHS Trust is classified by NHS England as a rural area, and gets a premium. However, they then automatically expect Powys to also pay them a premium, which results, to date, to a £13 million bill.”

The counsel general reiterated that the commissioning of NHS services, including cross-border, is a matter for local health boards.

He continued: “Welsh Ministers are aware of the financial pressure facing health boards, including those arising from periodical changes to the NHS England pricing system, which is the agreed tariff for cross-border service provision.

“Decisions taken to recognise specific pressures outside the agreed cross-border mechanisms are not enforceable across borders, and are matters for Wales and England respectively, separately. 

“But we continue to engage with NHS organisations and health boards on those pressures, but individual commissioning decisions between NHS bodies are matters for the organisations concerned.”

Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, also acknowledged the difficulty facing patients in Powys who deal with cross-border care.

She said: “You’re talking about frameworks, you’re talking about seamless services. These words mean nothing to Powys patients who are waiting to have their operations, which will relieve them of pain.”

Ms Dodds called on the counsel general to “change and challenge” the statutory frameworks that underpin cross-border care to allow Powys patients to access English hospitals in the same waiting time as English patients.

Mr Llwyd responded: “What needs to be done, in my submission, is there has to be some form of discussion and/or an official inquiry into the whole issue to see what can be done, because I am aware that it is a serious issue, and I’m aware it needs addressing.”

He continued: “I’m not batting this question away. It’s an important one. All three are. Something needs to be done. But it’s not for me, as counsel general, to say what should be done.

“Plans could come on my desk and I’d be asked whether the legality is okay or whatever – yes, fine, but there has to be some kind of a discussion leading to a new policy framework, maybe on both sides of the border.”

WALES’ education minister has vowed to tackle the “root causes” of antisocial behaviour in schools.

Plaid Cymru’s Anna Brychan was pressed on the Welsh Government’s plans to fix the issue by Reform MS Paul Marr on Wednesday July 1.

Referencing Plaid’s 100 day plan, Ms Brychan said the government will address the root causes of behavioural challenges, including “attendance, wellbeing and wider needs”, through a “co-ordinated whole system approach.”

She noted the importance of early intervention and aligning support services to “enhance learning environments”.

Welcoming Ms Brychan’s commitment to early intervention, Mr Marr said parents in his Ceredigion Penfro constituency want to know “why schools are increasingly being expected to deal with the threat of knife crime without proper resources.”

Calling on the Welsh Government to commit to funding preventable security measures and emergency response training, he noted: “Policies and plans, with respect, Minister, do not stop blades.”

Mr Marr also referred to his experience working in the prison service, where he said attacks on staff with bladed instruments became “a regular occurrence”.

He called for assurances for teachers from Ms Brychan that, with rising numbers of incidents, these attacks are “not expected to be their new norm”.

She said: “Every learner has the right to feel safe and know they belong in a school, are able to attend, participate and achieve.

“And the same is true of members of staff, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our school workforce is equally a priority for us.”

Labour’s Shav Taj spoke of the importance of correctly framing the debate around antisocial behaviour in schools.

She said: “While challenging behaviour is obviously a real concern, we’re hearing very clearly from unions but also staff on the ground, that it is actually increasingly linked to unmet needs, particularly around mental health and additional learning needs as well.”

Ms Taj went on to emphasise the importance of ALN reforms and ensuring the right level of support is in place through “a person-centred, needs-led system”.

She continued: “What teachers and teaching assistants are continuously telling us is that too often they’re being left to manage increasingly complex needs without it.

“So while some may frame this purely as an issue of discipline, isn’t the reality that where needs aren’t being met early, those pressures are simply playing out and compounding in the classroom?”

Ms Taj asked how the Welsh Government plans to ensure mental health provision in schools is properly resourced, including school counselling and wider ALN support.

Ms Brychan responded saying her points are “exactly the reasons” the programme will look at “wellbeing, attendance, and wider needs through a co-ordinated whole-system approach.”

She added: “She [Ms Taj] touches on ALN; that is a wider issue in our system, and that’s precisely why we want to bring all of these areas together and to recognise the barriers to learning that are part of this area of concern for us, and that’s why we have framed our response in this way.”

Ms Brychan was also pressed for an update on the progress made so far towards introducing a foundational literacy and numeracy plan.

Reform MS David Mills told the Siambr that Estyn found roughly 20% of pupils leave primary school functionally illiterate – a figure he described as “frightening”.

He called for the minister to set out “a clear timetable” for bringing the plan forward, and how it will deliver “measurable improvements” in both literacy and numeracy.

Ms Brychan stressed the problem is not with Welsh learners, and said: “Our learners are able to achieve and have potential comparable to anywhere in the world. It isn’t the lack of a willing workforce either.

“It is, I think, a lack of understanding of the expectations around progression in literacy and numeracy, and that’s precisely why we are introducing this literacy and numeracy foundational plan.”

Ms Brychan reassured the member that she is working “at pace”, noting that on her second day in the job she wrote to schools to outline the Welsh Government’s work on the plan, promising an update at the end of the summer term, before the framework is introduced in the autumn.

Natasha Asghar, of the Welsh Conservatives, questioned the deputy minister on what steps the Welsh Government is taking to boost the number of apprenticeships in Wales.

Noting that university isn’t “for everyone”, Ms Asghar stressed the importance of apprenticeships as a route into the workplace for “those who want to earn and learn at the same time”.

Recalling a commitment from Plaid’s election manifesto, she noted the party promised to expand both work experience and apprenticeships.

However, Ms Asghar went on to share a conversation she had recently with Jane Blackwell – a franchisee of five McDonald’s restaurants in the Newport area – who noted that despite wanting to take on more apprenticeships she is limited to due to the strict criteria of the apprenticeship levy.

Ms Asghar said: “We have a situation here where a business owner with multiple sites is contributing towards the apprenticeship fund, but isn’t able to access it to take on her own apprentices; it is, frankly, absurd”.

She called on the deputy minister to commit to meeting with Jane to discuss the issue and “iron out the problems” to start getting more young people into work.

In response, Cefin Campbell – the deputy minister for skills and tertiary education – said the Welsh Government is currently investing £151 million in apprenticeships to support delivery across Wales.

He said: “We believe that apprenticeships are a cornerstone of Wales’s post-16 skills system and a key policy, as you mentioned, for economic growth, fair work and productivity.

“They provide high-quality routes into employment, supporting people of all ages and helping employers develop the workforce they need.”

The deputy minister agreed with Ms Asghar that the current apprenticeship offer needs changes to reflect both “changing economic needs and the needs of businesses”.

He added: “A new apprenticeship programme from August 2027 will deliver a more flexible and responsive model for employers and delivery partners, shaped by extensive engagement, led by Medr.

“Now, this reform should be seen as part of a wider drive to create clearer pathways, improve parity of esteem with academic routes, and strengthen alignment between skills and economic growth.”

PEMBROKESHIRE’S council has made 17 purchases of housing in various sizes and a building to be used as a children’s home, amounting to just over £6.5m in just six months.

At the July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members are asked to note a report covering acquisitions and disposals in excess of £100,000 which have completed between November 1 of 2025 and March 31 of this year.

It lists 18 separate groups of acquisitions, totalling £6,526,967, along with one disposal of the former contact centre, Argyle Street, Pembroke Dock, at £415,000.

For those purchases, grants have been secured to the tune of £6,440,179, the report says.

These acquisitions, all for housing stock in various sizes and amounts, are: 22 The Glebe, Tenby £200,000, with a grant of £119,419; 12 Gay Lane , Marloes, £180,000 (£129,728); 5 St Mary’s Road, Pembroke Dock £125,000 (£76,764); 51 Augustine Way, Haverfordwest £105,000 (£69,126); 82 Heywood Court, Tenby £115,000 (£87,633); 19 Maes Ewan, Solva £220,000 (£165,155); 29 Heol Penlan, Goodwick £132,000 (£86,393); 1 Churchill Close, Tenby £125,000 (£83,571); 3 Westaway Park, Rosemarket £142,000 (£93,134); 22 Churchill Close, Tenby £125,000 (£83,571); 31 Haroldston Close, Merlins Bridge £110,000 (£62,318); 28 Flemish Court, Lamphey £160,000 (£114,597); 7 Precelly Place, Milford Haven £125,000 (£81,578); 17 Newell Hill, Tenby 170,000 (£120,098).

Larger acquisitions are: 3 Rose Haven, The Beacon, Rosemarket, of four two-bed houses and six three-bed houses £2,601,967 (£1,725,179); 32, 33, 34 and 35 Harcourt Close, Hook four two-bed semis £864,000; 36 and 37 Harcourt Close, Hook two three-bed semis £552,000, with a grant of £2,821,760 covering 15 units in the case of the latter two.

An additional purchase of Sentry Cottage, Jordanston for a children’s residential home at £475,000, with a £580,152 grant is also listed.

Planning permission for that scheme was granted back in February.

Last November, Cabinet members heard a similar report, covering April 1 to October 31 of 2025, which included includes the purchase of 16 properties for housing stock, to the tune of £3,470,000 and the disposal of two industrial estate plots, at some £278,400.