Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

27 Services to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

(1) The Welsh Ministers must make arrangements for the provision of services to promote diversity in the protected characteristics and socio-economic circumstances of persons seeking to be elected as members of Senedd Cymru and the councils of counties, county boroughs and communities in Wales.

(2) The Welsh Ministers must, in discharging their duty under subsection (1), have regard to—

(a) whether there are groups of persons with the same protected characteristics that are under-represented in the membership of Senedd Cymru or the councils of counties, county boroughs and communities in Wales;

(b) the desirability of reducing the inequalities of outcome that result from socio-economic disadvantage;

(c) the desirability of services being available to persons regardless of their membership (or otherwise) of a registered political party.

(3) The question of whether a group is under-represented in the membership of a body must be considered, for the purposes of subsection (2)(a), by reference to the population served by the body.

(4) Subsection (1) does not require the provision of services in respect of every under-represented group that may be identified for the purposes of subsection (2)(a).

(5) The services that may be provided under subsection (1) are the provision of—

(a) information;

(b) advice;

(c) training;

(d) coaching and mentoring;

(e) work experience;

(f) equipment;

(g) assistance with tasks.

(6) The arrangements under subsection (1) must ensure that the Welsh Ministers do not make decisions in particular cases as to whether an individual is to receive a service under the arrangements.

(7) The arrangements under subsection (1) may include (among other things)—

(a) the provision of financial assistance to individuals who may benefit from services for the purpose of the individuals buying the services themselves;

(b) the provision of financial assistance to persons who provide services;

(c) financial assistance schemes for which provision is made by regulations under section 28.

(8) The Welsh Ministers may by regulations—

(a) add further services to subsection (5);

(b) amend services added under paragraph (a);

(c) remove services added under paragraph (a).

(9) The power to make regulations in subsection (8) is exercisable by statutory instrument.

(10) A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (8) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of Senedd Cymru.

(11) In this section “protected characteristics” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 (c. 15).

(12) Nothing in this section limits any other power of the Welsh Ministers.