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Proceeding contribution from Lord Sewel (Labour) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 6 June 2006. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Government of Wales Bill.


Government of Wales Bill

The amendment may or may not be attractive, but one thing it clearly is not is devolution. The whole concept of devolution rests on retaining the sovereignty of the United Kingdom Parliament. It is that Parliament, therefore, that has the responsibility and the power to decide which subjects and powers are devolved. It is not the power of the subordinate parliament to assume powers that it wishes on its own accord. So it is a novel constitutional approach, but I am not sure where it would fit in the array of constitutional arrangements that are possible, be they devolution, federalism or whatever. However, it is clearly not an argument that is at all consistent or compatible with any model of devolution.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
682 c1174 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Devolved matters Conservation Devolution Delegated legislation Finance Legislative competence Functions Grants Legislation First ministers National Assembly for Wales Referendums Parliamentary scrutiny Politics and government Loans Ministers Publishing Water supply Wales Welsh Government Welsh Water National Assembly for Wales Commission Welsh Consolidated Fund
Legislation
Government of Wales Bill 2005-06
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk