THE PROHIBITION of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill has been heavily criticised for a second time in 24 hours after the Senedd’s Legislation, Justice and Constitution (LJC) Committee published a highly critical Stage 1 report yesterday.

The cross-party committee said the Welsh Government’s handling of the legislation had “in several respects, fallen short of the standard of good legislative practice that we would normally expect”.

Key concerns highlighted by the LJC Committee include:

• Introducing the Bill before all relevant impact assessments (including a full Regulatory Impact Assessment and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment) had been completed – a step it described as “poor legislative practice, particularly … where the Bill may impact on human rights”.
• Failure to publish a statement confirming the Bill’s compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The committee has recommended that Rural Affairs Minister Huw Irranca-Davies issue such a statement before the Stage 1 vote on 16 December.
• Inadequate public consultation, with the 2023 animal-licensing consultation deemed “not an appropriate substitute” for targeted engagement on the specific proposal to ban the sport.

The report follows Tuesday’s equally critical findings from the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee, which questioned the robustness of the evidence base and the accelerated legislative timetable.

Industry reaction Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), described the two reports as leaving the Bill “in tatters”.

“Two consecutive cross-party Senedd committees have now condemned the Welsh Government’s failures in due diligence, consultation and human rights considerations and evidence gathering,” he said. “The case for a ban has been comprehensively undermined. The responsible path forward is stronger regulation of the single remaining track at Ystrad Mynach, not prohibition.”

Response from supporters of the Bill Luke Fletcher MS (Labour, South Wales West), who introduced the Member-proposed Bill, said he welcomed thorough scrutiny and remained confident the legislation could be improved at later stages.

“I have always said this Bill is about ending an outdated practice that causes unnecessary suffering to thousands of greyhounds every year,” Mr Fletcher said. “The committees have raised legitimate procedural points, and I look forward to working with the Welsh Government and colleagues across the Senedd to address those concerns while keeping the core aim of the Bill intact.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Minister has noted the committees’ reports and will respond formally in due course. The government supports the principle of the Bill and believes a ban on greyhound racing is justified on animal welfare grounds. Work is ongoing to finalise the outstanding impact assessments and to ensure full compatibility with the ECHR.”

The Bill is scheduled for a Stage 1 debate and vote in plenary on Tuesday 16 December. Even if it passes that hurdle, it would still require significant amendment at Stages 2 and 3 to satisfy the committees’ recommendations.

WELSH CONSERVATIVE leader Darren Millar MS has dismissed renewed Labour calls for further Senedd powers, warning that the Welsh Government should “stop making excuses” and focus instead on tackling crises in health, education and the economy.

His comments follow an extraordinary intervention earlier this week by 11 Labour backbench MSs, who wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on 3 December accusing his government of “rolling back” devolution. The signatories — including former ministers Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths and Lee Waters — said they were “increasingly concerned” by the lack of progress on key commitments such as reforming the Barnett formula, devolving rail infrastructure, policing and justice, and transferring the Crown Estate to Wales.

The letter singled out the UK Government’s new “Pride in Place” funding scheme — which sends regeneration money for town-centre improvements directly to Welsh councils — as a “constitutional outrage,” arguing that it sidesteps devolved powers through the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Although First Minister Eluned Morgan has raised the issue with Starmer, no Welsh ministers added their names to the letter, laying bare internal tensions as Labour falls back in polls ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Opposition parties seized on the dispute. Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said it showed Labour “falling apart,” while Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds criticised Westminster’s “deep lack of understanding” of the devolution settlement.

At a Council of the Nations and Regions summit on Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones — standing in for Starmer — defended the UK Government’s record, saying Labour in Westminster had been “delivering at pace” in partnership with Wales. The 26 November Budget provided £508 million in additional resource and capital funding for Wales over the Spending Review period, alongside commitments to Port Talbot brownfield remediation, a South Wales semiconductor cluster, nuclear investment at Wylfa and a £547 million Local Growth Fund devolved to the Welsh Government. Welsh ministers welcomed many of these as having “generational” value, though the Labour MSs’ letter said they fell short of promised constitutional reform.

The Welsh Conservatives have consistently opposed further Senedd powers, arguing that Cardiff Bay already holds significant authority under the existing settlement established in 1997 and expanded in 2011, 2014 and 2017. Millar, who became Welsh Conservative leader in 2024, has previously ruled out abolishing the Senedd as unrealistic, while urging ministers to “transform people’s lives with devolution” by using existing powers more effectively.

Pointing to record pressures in devolved services, Millar said Labour was fixated on constitutional arguments while outcomes worsen. NHS waiting lists in Wales stood at 789,929 pathways by mid-2025 — nearly one in four residents — with first outpatient waits in parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf stretching from 28 to 68 weeks or more. Public satisfaction with the Welsh NHS averaged 5.1 out of 10 in the year to March 2025, down from 6.3 in 2021–22. Education attendance figures for 2023–24 showed slow post-pandemic recovery, while youth employment (16–24) fell to 52.5% in the year to March 2025. Wales’ unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in the year to June 2025, slightly above the UK’s 4.0%, with areas such as Swansea reaching 8.2%. Economic inactivity among 16–64-year-olds remained high at 24.1%.

Darren Millar MS said: “One Labour Government damaging Wales was bad enough — now we have two, and things are twice as bad.

After two damaging budgets, Welsh Government ministers are focused on infighting about Senedd powers instead of fixing the everyday problems families are facing.

The Senedd doesn’t need more powers. What we need is a government that accepts responsibility, stops making excuses, and uses the extensive powers already available to get to grips with the crisis in our NHS, improve standards in our schools, and tackle Wales’ spiralling unemployment.

Only a Welsh Conservative Government will fix Wales.”

The dispute reflects wider public debate on whether devolution is delivering results. Polling suggests consistent support for having a Senedd, but growing frustration over service performance. With the 2026 election approaching and Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gaining ground, Labour’s internal split over devolution exposes fresh vulnerabilities as the party tries to navigate its relationship with Westminster.

A CALL for a Pembrokeshire dairy farm to keep two “alternative” holiday pods sited without permission as a way of diversifying in an uncertain industry has been given the go-ahead.

In an application recommended for approval at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Vaynor Farm Ltd sought retrospective permission for the siting of two self-catering holiday accommodation pods at The Cart House, Vaynor Farm, Bethesda, near Narberth as part of a farm diversification enterprise.

It was before committee members as it was recommended for delegated conditional approval by senior officers despite being against the development plan.

Previous retrospective schemes, for two self-catering pods along with an application to retain a shepherd hut accommodation pod at another farm, a part of the Vaynor Farm farm enterprise, were refused in 2023 and 2025, the latter due to “an unjustified and harmful impact on the character and appearance of the open countryside”.

Detailing the current application, an officer report for members said the pods: Vaynor Farm Pod within the garden of The Cart House, and The Paddock Pod, on the edge of a small paddock, were constructed off-site and have been transported to their current locations, with external decking, hot tubs, a barbecue area and car parking provided for each pod.

It added: “A business plan has been submitted with the application, which explains that due to uncertainties associated with dairy farming, the applicant has sought to diversify the farm enterprise to incorporate tourism accommodation.

“The application makes the case that the proposed development represents farm diversification. It is acknowledged that the development has resulted in the provision of an alternative type of holiday accommodation for which it has been demonstrated there is a demand, contributing to the diversity and quality of accommodation available within the county and supporting an existing farm business, with consequent economic and social benefits.

“Evidence has been provided that demonstrates the extent to which the pods have provided income which has been used to support the farm business.

“However, officers consider that should planning permission be granted, a [planning obligation] will be necessary to ensure that the accommodation pods continue to support the farm business and are not separated from it at some future point in time.”

Delegated conditional approval limiting the use and occupation of the self-catering accommodation pods to short term holiday use only was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously backed by committee members.