Supplementary Memorandum from the Welsh Conservative Party

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY

PLAID GEIDWADOL CYMRU

SUPPLEMENTARY SUBMISSION

This is a submission on behalf of the Welsh Conservative Party supplementary to that submitted in April 2003 on behalf of the Party. It fully endorses both the written and oral submissions of Nicholas Bourne, AM, Leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly.

The Welsh Conservative Party accepts the democratic decision of the Welsh electorate in the referendum held on the establishment of a National Assembly for Wales. The Welsh Conservative Party is committed to seeing that the Assembly works for the benefit of all the people in all parts of Wales and offers positive support to our Assembly members who work to this aim.

This submission was prepared after consultation with the Party's Welsh Board of Management. This comprises eight elected members of the voluntary side of the Party - the Chairman, two Deputy Chairmen and the Chairmen of the five regions in Wales. Other members are the Leader of the Conservative group in the Welsh Assembly, the Leader of the Conservative Councillors Association, and the Director and Deputy Director.

The Welsh Conservative Party wishes to see the National Assembly use the powers that it has more effectively. With a budget of £12 billion from Westminster, the Assembly has the scope to use money to improve public services over and above that which is already allocated. Both health and education are in desperate need of investment at the sharp end. Too much money is being wasted on certain projects, like the new Assembly building, when the public's need is elsewhere.

The Welsh Conservative Party can see no advantage in granting tax raising powers to the Assembly and, together with public opinion, is opposed to this additional power.

The lack of primary legislative powers does not appear to have prevented the Assembly from functioning satisfactorily. Not all secondary legislative powers that exist at the moment have been utilised. The Assembly needs to be an influential body that can scrutinise the Welsh Assembly Government properly and represent the people of Wales.

The Foot and Mouth crisis has been cited as a case where having more powers would have resulted in action been taken sooner, as it was in Scotland, thus reducing unnecessary confusion and suffering in rural communities. However, a large part of the problem encountered during the Foot and Mouth crisis was because secondary powers were split between Cardiff and Westminster. The Welsh Conservatives have supported the transfer of animal welfare functions to Cardiff.

The Welsh Conservative Party is opposed to the Assembly acquiring primary legislative powers.

The Legal System

There is a great deal of administrative devolution already within the legal system and it would be better for Wales to determine its own priorities locally rather than centrally under the Lord Chancellor's department. Our support for further devolution in this matter is limited to the administration of justice and does not extend to the creation of new legislation.

Police authorities should be answerable to the Welsh Assembly as opposed to the Home Office. Policing in Wales has sufficient differences to require policy to be locally directed.

We agree with the Government's decision to devolve the Fire Service to the Welsh Assembly with the exception of pay and conditions. Nothing should be introduced that would hinder the appointment of senior officers on the basis of merit.

This office must continue, ensuring that we have an effective voice for Wales in Cabinet that can fight our case especially in those areas that have not been devolved to Wales. The Welsh Conservative Party feels that we are entitled to nothing less. In addition, there should be close cooperation between the Secretary of State and the Assembly, the Welsh Secretary attending the Assembly on a regular basis to answer questions and participate in debates. Close links and good working arrangements are essential between the National Assembly and Westminster.

In the event of the Richard Commission recommending a major change of policy, certainly if it were to recommend increasing the Assembly's powers, the Welsh Conservative Party would ask that any proposed changes should require a referendum of the Welsh electorate. Included in that referendum, we would ask also for voters' views on whether they wished the Assembly to continue in existence.

All that the Assembly has done in real terms is to change the names of various quangos. Clearly more accountability and scrutiny is required to ensure that they are effective and give value for money, eg, ELWa (which does not!). We feel that there should be a uniform system of scrutiny and accountability.

The existing system works well in so far as it gives the opposition the opportunity to provide effective opposition. The Labour Party in Wales is concerned about the same individuals standing for constituency and regional lists. We like this system. It allows candidates to come face to face with the electorate in a constituency and to put over their policies. The danger otherwise would be of regional candidates becoming remote, removed from contact with the people and so not having the same opportunity to meet the electorate.

In addition, voters found the present system of two ballot papers confusing - changing the system once again would only add to the confusion, which was certainly less in the second elections than it was in the first.

The existing number of 60 members is capable of dealing with the current workload. The Welsh Conservative Party is not in favour of altering the number of Assembly members. Should the number of MP's from Wales be reduced in the future, this issue would need looking at again as there might otherwise be a corresponding loss of equivalent AM's . We feel it is important to maintain the common boundaries between AM's and MP's.

In forwarding this supplementary submission, we wish to emphasise that the people of Wales have yet to become enthusiastic about the Assembly. The Assembly has only completed one term and people are still confused between the responsibilities of Westminster and those of the Assembly far better to make no fundamental changes to the Assembly's powers, operation and electoral arrangements. The institution requires more time to use to better effect, those powers which already exist, and thus earn the respect of the people of Wales.

Ms Catrin Edwards
Deputy Chairman, the Welsh Conservative Party
13th September, 2003