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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which UK-wide or Britain-wide programmes will be the responsibility of his Department after the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament; and what is the forecast level of expenditure on such programmes in 1998-99. [63481] Mr. Meale: The Government of Wales Act 1998 provided for a transfer of Functions Order to be made to transfer Ministerial functions to the National Assembly for Wales. The order was published in draft for public consultation on 12 November 1998. Work is continuing within Government to finalise the text of the Order and until work is completed, it is not possible to state with certainty what functions will transfer to the Welsh Assembly. Similarly, the functions which will be devolved to the Scottish parliament under the Scotland Act 1998, depend in part on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes to establish whether any programme expenditure relates to the functions which are being devolved and to assess the need for any consequential transfer of funds to the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

63481; 322 c432W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Devolution Departmental responsibilities Expenditure National Assembly for Wales Scotland Wales Scottish Parliament Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions