I have looked at this measure and the consequential modifications that it addresses. This order is relatively simple, because the modifications are consequential upon changes made to the relationship between the Auditor-General for Wales and the local government improvement scheme, which allows fees charged under the previous best value scheme...

I have looked at this measure and the consequential modifications that it addresses. This order is relatively simple, because the modifications are consequential upon changes made to the relationship between the Auditor-General for Wales and the local government improvement scheme, which allows fees charged under the previous best value scheme...

I commend what my noble friend has said; he has asked some very pertinent questions. Clause 214(2)(c) states: "““the taking of specified actions by a member or officer of a local authority who is a trustee of a trust connected with that local authority””." That provision opens up questions of...

I commend what my noble friend has said; he has asked some very pertinent questions. Clause 214(2)(c) states: "““the taking of specified actions by a member or officer of a local authority who is a trustee of a trust connected with that local authority””." That provision opens up questions of...

Clause 211 refers to joint waste authorities in Wales. It gives power to Welsh Ministers to make by order provision in relation to Wales and replaces references to the Secretary of State with references to Welsh Ministers. This is a welcome move to improve the devolutionary aspect of local government...

Clause 211 refers to joint waste authorities in Wales. It gives power to Welsh Ministers to make by order provision in relation to Wales and replaces references to the Secretary of State with references to Welsh Ministers. This is a welcome move to improve the devolutionary aspect of local government...

My comments on Clause 213 mirror what I have just said about Clause 211 in that Welsh Ministers will be able to make orders in relation to entities controlled by Welsh local authorities. It is as simple as that. That, again, is an extension of devolutionary powers to Welsh Ministers...

My comments on Clause 213 mirror what I have just said about Clause 211 in that Welsh Ministers will be able to make orders in relation to entities controlled by Welsh local authorities. It is as simple as that. That, again, is an extension of devolutionary powers to Welsh Ministers...

My Lords, I thank the Minister in particular for the conclusion in the amendment about fair representation on the Assembly Commission. We put forward the amendment and there was a lot of support for it throughout Wales. The Conservative Party supported it, too. Common sense has very much come to...

My Lords, I thank the Minister in particular for the conclusion in the amendment about fair representation on the Assembly Commission. We put forward the amendment and there was a lot of support for it throughout Wales. The Conservative Party supported it, too. Common sense has very much come to...

My Lords, we too think that this is a very satisfactory outcome. The amendment is a combination of amendments originally tabled in Committee by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to allow for a wider choice in the name of the committee and we are pleased that the Government...

My Lords, we too think that this is a very satisfactory outcome. The amendment is a combination of amendments originally tabled in Committee by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to allow for a wider choice in the name of the committee and we are pleased that the Government...

My Lords, I believe that contained in Motion F is the recipe for some conflict in the future. Those of us who soldiered on, for example in the 1979 referendum on whether there should be a Welsh Assembly, can conceive of any kind of outcome that could occur. Although the...

My Lords, I believe that contained in Motion F is the recipe for some conflict in the future. Those of us who soldiered on, for example in the 1979 referendum on whether there should be a Welsh Assembly, can conceive of any kind of outcome that could occur. Although the...

My Lords, I apologise for not being here when the debate started, but it started 25 minutes early, which is very good. At this moment, I should be a steward in the Royal Welsh Show, taking around overseas judges to judge educational stands—20 in all—but government business managers have decided...

My Lords, I apologise for not being here when the debate started, but it started 25 minutes early, which is very good. At this moment, I should be a steward in the Royal Welsh Show, taking around overseas judges to judge educational stands—20 in all—but government business managers have decided...

Whether a National Health Service trust in England, which has seconded a member of staff to another trust or other NHS organisation in Wales is obliged to inform the receiving trust or organisation of an ongoing Audit Commission investigation relating to the seconded member of staff; and

Whether a National Health Service trust in England, which has seconded a member of staff to another trust or other NHS organisation in Wales is obliged to inform the receiving trust or organisation of an ongoing Audit Commission investigation relating to the seconded member of staff; and

My Lords, Amendment No. 79 is in our name. We are greatly exercised by the issue, and I was very pleased to hear what the noble Lord, Lord Elystan-Morgan, said about his amendments. There is no doubt that water is a scarce commodity, and climate change means that there is likely to be 40 per cent...

My Lords, Amendment No. 79 is in our name. We are greatly exercised by the issue, and I was very pleased to hear what the noble Lord, Lord Elystan-Morgan, said about his amendments. There is no doubt that water is a scarce commodity, and climate change means that there is likely to be 40 per cent...

My Lords, I heard what the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, said. It is an interesting juxtaposition that three of the parties in the Assembly have been very steadfast in their support for devolution and the Conservative Party has recently become converted to it. We certainly feel that perhaps two-thirds might be more...

My Lords, I heard what the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, said. It is an interesting juxtaposition that three of the parties in the Assembly have been very steadfast in their support for devolution and the Conservative Party has recently become converted to it. We certainly feel that perhaps two-thirds might be more...

My Lords, can the Minister indicate why there is no equality in this legislation between England and Wales? The river basins, after all, as has already been said, cover both countries. If there is an adverse impact in England, there is likely to be an adverse impact in Wales, but...

My Lords, can the Minister indicate why there is no equality in this legislation between England and Wales? The river basins, after all, as has already been said, cover both countries. If there is an adverse impact in England, there is likely to be an adverse impact in Wales, but...

My Lords, I understand why the Minister is playing games with the amendments, but as we said we are coming from the principle that the only justification that we can see for a referendum is with regard to taxation and tax-bearing powers, and those are principles to which we adhere. The...

My Lords, I understand why the Minister is playing games with the amendments, but as we said we are coming from the principle that the only justification that we can see for a referendum is with regard to taxation and tax-bearing powers, and those are principles to which we adhere. The...

moved Amendment No. 65:"Leave out Clause 102." The noble Lord said: My Lords, I can be extremely brief on these amendments. They relate to clauses that refer to a referendum. This is the case with Clauses 103, 104 and 105. Those three clauses are the subject of Amendments Nos. 64, 68, 69 and 70, starting with Clause 102 and finishing with Clause 105....

moved Amendment No. 65:"Leave out Clause 102." The noble Lord said: My Lords, I can be extremely brief on these amendments. They relate to clauses that refer to a referendum. This is the case with Clauses 103, 104 and 105. Those three clauses are the subject of Amendments Nos. 64, 68, 69 and 70, starting with Clause 102 and finishing with Clause 105....

My Lords, the Minister appears not to have sufficient confidence in the Assembly’s ability to work its way through such a timetable. However, I do. The people of Wales would see it as a logical progression, not as something that has just been plucked out of the air. This is, as...

My Lords, the Minister appears not to have sufficient confidence in the Assembly’s ability to work its way through such a timetable. However, I do. The people of Wales would see it as a logical progression, not as something that has just been plucked out of the air. This is, as...

moved Amendment No. 64:"Page 57, line 23, at end insert—" ““(   )   The Secretary of State shall lay a draft Order under subsection (6) not later than 30th June 2010.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, the Bill contains no clear timetable for the move to the legislative powers set out in Part 4. Such a timetable was a...

moved Amendment No. 64:"Page 57, line 23, at end insert—" ““(   )   The Secretary of State shall lay a draft Order under subsection (6) not later than 30th June 2010.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, the Bill contains no clear timetable for the move to the legislative powers set out in Part 4. Such a timetable was a...

My Lords, in all the debates that we have had this evening that was really the most predictable answer I have received. I expected that answer. It is not surprising, given the position of Scotland and the position of the Chancellor in the Government. The noble Lord, Lord Barnett, did say that to...

My Lords, in all the debates that we have had this evening that was really the most predictable answer I have received. I expected that answer. It is not surprising, given the position of Scotland and the position of the Chancellor in the Government. The noble Lord, Lord Barnett, did say that to...

moved Amendment No. 73:"After Clause 117, insert the following new clause—" ““ALLOCATION OF FUNDS (1)   The Secretary of State shall appoint a panel of not less than four and not more than six experts to recommend the sums of money to be allocated to the Welsh Consolidated Fund. (2)   The Secretary of State shall...

moved Amendment No. 73:"After Clause 117, insert the following new clause—" ““ALLOCATION OF FUNDS (1)   The Secretary of State shall appoint a panel of not less than four and not more than six experts to recommend the sums of money to be allocated to the Welsh Consolidated Fund. (2)   The Secretary of State shall...

My Lords, our party is totally in line with what the noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, has said, and we wish to be associated with everything that he said. We also express our appreciation to the Bill team.

My Lords, our party is totally in line with what the noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, has said, and we wish to be associated with everything that he said. We also express our appreciation to the Bill team.

My Lords, I was not surprised by the Minister’s response, particularly on Amendment No. 45. However, Amendment No. 51 would reduce the period from 60 to 30 days if Parliament had been prorogued. Parliament could be prorogued for a relatively long time and the legislative process could be delayed for an extended period. However, I have listened to what...

My Lords, I was not surprised by the Minister’s response, particularly on Amendment No. 45. However, Amendment No. 51 would reduce the period from 60 to 30 days if Parliament had been prorogued. Parliament could be prorogued for a relatively long time and the legislative process could be delayed for an extended period. However, I have listened to what...