Senedd rejects bill creating offence for assaulting retail workers
Getty ImagesThe Welsh Parliament voted against a proposed UK law that would create a new offence of assaulting a retail worker.
The Crime and Policing Bill currently passing through UK Parliament also includes measures to criminalise climbing war memorials, as well as allowing police to enter premises to find electronically-tracked stolen goods like smartphones and laptops.
Labour was the only party to support the bill applying to Wales in Tuesday's Senedd vote, with members of Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives, Reform UK and Liberal Democrats all voting against it for different reasons.
The Home Office said it was "disappointed by the outcome of the vote" and was looking for a resolution.
Plaid Cymru complained that the proposed law handed over Welsh government power to the UK government, while Reform said the proposed law does not go far enough to tackle crime.
Labour accused the other parties in the Senedd of voting against making Wales a safer place.
It is not clear what the "no" vote will mean for the legislation and whether the UK government will consider any changes to it first.
The UK government could choose to ignore the outcome of the vote and bring the law in for Wales anyway, but at this stage has not said what it will do.
The Senedd is required to give consent to legislation created at UK level which changes policies that are usually the responsibility of Wales' parliament, but the results of the vote are not legally binding.
Despite Wales not having control over criminal justice, the Welsh government said some parts of the bill - including creating a new specific offence of assaulting a retail worker - required the consent vote.
Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt had called for the Senedd to support the consent motion, saying the new offence would bring tougher penalties for criminals and help "drive an effective police response".
"By removing the £200 threshold for shop theft, it tackles the low-level crime that blights our town centres, supports retailers, particularly small businesses at the heart of our communities, and sends a clear message that no offence is too minor to face consequences," she said.
The legislation also includes giving powers to councils and social housing groups - which are overseen by the Senedd - to close premises associated with nuisance and disorder.
Senedd CymruPlaid Cymru's Adam Price said his party "sympathises with the general aim of the bill", but raised concerns over part of the legislation involving sharing information with international organisations to help fight crime.
The law would give powers both the UK and Welsh governments to set regulations over the information sharing, which in the case of the Welsh government could include wildlife and environmental offences.
But a cross-party committee criticised the prospect of allowing the UK government to set rules in a devolved area, something the Welsh government argued would be needed to implement international agreements.
Price said: "Goodwill is not law, a promise is not a safeguard, and the current relationship between the two governments, even when they're made up of the same party, cannot be described as one of parity of esteem."
He later accused Labour of not standing up for Welsh interests, adding: "Wales will not quietly surrender its powers."
Reform's Laura Anne Jones told the Senedd that while her party supported the legislation's general principles, "we do not believe that the crime and policing bill goes far enough in effectively tackling crime".
Altaf Hussain for the Conservatives said his party opposed the consent motion, raising complaints about artificial intelligence, facial recognition and non-crime hate incidents.
The consent motion was rejected with 25 Labour Members of the Senedd (MSs) voting for, 27 MSs voting against, and no abstentions.
Following the vote, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: "When there was a choice to vote to make Wales a safer place, Plaid and the other opposition voted against it."
"When there was a choice between backing tougher action on crime and creating a constitutional row, Plaid chose the row."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are disappointed by the outcome of the vote.
"We welcome the Welsh government's recommendation for the Senedd to approve the motion and we are working closely with them to find a resolution."
The last major legislative consent motion (LCM) in Senedd was passed in February over how Wales would implement the legalisation of assisted dying, with Labour supporters of the legislation saying they would amend the bill - which is currently being scrutinised in the House of Lords - if the Senedd vote was lost.
