Submission to the Richard Commission
by the
North Wales Group of Labour MPs
|
|
Supplementary
submission from Ian Lucas MP
|
| The North Wales Group
of Labour MPs was established a year ago to campaign on
issues of common concern in the area. The group consists
of Labour MPs representing eight out of the nine constituencies
in North Wales. All members of the group who were in Parliament
at the time campaigned actively for a Yes vote in the
1997 referendum and the whole group is a strong supporter
of devolution and the Assembly. This submission reflects
our collective experience as elected members and was agreed
unanimously. |
| 1. The Government of
Wales Act laid down a model for devolution in Wales which
was tailored to Welsh needs. It devolved the administrative
powers exercised by the Secretary of State for Wales to
a directly elected Assembly with Primary legislative powers
remaining in Westminster. It would be wrong to describe
the current arrangements as a ‘settlement’ since
Parliament cannot bind itself. However, it is simplistic
to describe devolution as necessarily a continuing process. |
| 2. We believe the present
arrangements are working satisfactorily and there is no
pressing need to make major changes. By major changes
we mean either conferring primary legislative powers on
the Assembly for devolved areas, or the transfer to the
Assembly of executive/secondary legislative powers in
previously reserved areas such as Policing or Criminal
Justice. In any event, the onus is on those who advocate
major changes to demonstrate that the present arrangements
are not working, and to outline why they wish the Assembly
to have new powers (and what it would do with them). |
| 3. We do not believe
that the case for major change at present has been made,
but even if it had, it would require specific endorsement
by the people of Wales through a further referendum. In
addition, any future commitment to hold a referendum would
require endorsement as a manifesto commitment in a General
Election. The results of the 2003 National Assembly elections
do not show a strong demand for more power for the Assembly. |
| 4. The Assembly
has been in existence for barely four years. There was
only a very short shadow period. We believe it is far
too early to make major changes to the present arrangements.
It appears that many of our constituents have little interest
in the Assembly. This is reflected in the very low turnouts
at the 1997 Referendum and at the 2003 Assembly election
- especially in North Wales. This is coupled with a widespread
feeling that the Assembly is a South Wales dominated body.
This is partly the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly
Government, but we hope and expect that as the Assembly
matures and beds in, these attitudes will change. However
we believe that the vast majority of those we represent
do not favour any major changes. |
| 5. One aspect
of the Government of Wales Act that does cause concern
and confusion to constituents is the process of election
of additional members to the National Assembly. This causes
particular confusion when candidates stand as constituency
candidates, fail to secure election and are then elected
as additional members. We believe that candidates should
stand either as constituency candidates or Party list
candidates, not both. |
| 6. There are
concerns both from the Assembly and from MPs from Wales
that there is a need to establish a better process for
passing legislation for Wales. The Welsh Affairs Select
Committee has recommended the trial use of a Special Standing
Committee on the next Wales-only Bill or Welsh-only section
of a wider Bill, which would allow the Assembly formally
to present its opinions. It also favoured an annual joint
meeting between the Assembly and the Welsh Grand Committee
on legislative priorities. The UK Parliament and the National
Assembly for Wales should consider how it could facilitate
joint meetings of Members, and must take seriously the
rights of backbenchers from both bodies. |
