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Welsh Affairs

It is a great pleasure to debate Welsh issues in this Chamber—an opportunity that we too rarely have. May I also say what a pleasure it is to follow the right hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) and to put on the record my appreciation of his helpful co-operation with me when he was in office. Today, he has demonstrated his great knowledge not only of the Welsh scene and the opportunities available to Wales and Welsh people, but of the potential impediments to the necessary developments. He is very realistic in his assessment, but he is nearly always optimistic for Wales—an approach that I greatly appreciate. The right hon. Gentleman will also be remembered for taking the devolution settlement in the right direction—perhaps not at the pace that some of us wanted, but certainly in the right direction. He will be well remembered for that. I should also like to put on the record how much I and other hon. Members enjoyed the service in St. Mary Undercroft. It was a memorable experience, to which the contribution of the children has already been mentioned. I would also like to reflect a little on the homily preached by the archdeacon by saying how apt it is to celebrate the life of St. David and, indeed, to celebrate the Welsh nation on that special day. We should not be niggardly or parsimonious in our celebrations; we should be truly generous in pointing out that nationality is not just for our benefit, but something to share with others, including the United Kingdom and, indeed, farther and greater reaches across the world. I welcomed the Secretary of State for Wales to his new post yesterday and I do so again. He has served in various positions in government with great distinction. I must, however, raise some concerns about his role. I have no doubt whatever that the Secretary of State will work with colleagues in Westminster and Cardiff on transferring legislative competence to the Assembly, but I expect Wales's representative in the Cabinet to be passionate about devolution and committed to extending the Assembly's role. The Secretary of State's views on devolution, however, are on the record and I find it difficult to believe that he will be able to reconcile his past comments with the changes that Liberal Democrats feel are necessary. The Government must do away with the halfway house that they have created, whereby Assembly Members have to come begging cap in hand for the power to make their own laws. The Secretary of State has been keen to shake off his tag of being a devo-sceptic and prefers to call himself a devo-realist; well, here is a dose of realism for him. In the 10 years since Wales has had the Assembly a great deal has been achieved, often on a cross-party basis. Wales has rejected Labour's regressive top-up fee regime and has made bus travel free for the over-60s and the disabled. The Assembly has also made health spending a priority and has introduced a vital scheme to help Wales's post offices stay sustainable. There are still many areas where the Assembly should be making decisions but cannot. For instance, Wales should be able to take a lead on combating climate change by developing its own immense natural resources of wave and wind power in order to provide clean renewable energy and by encouraging energy efficiency through setting better building standards and introducing smart metering. On large-scale energy projects, however, including new nuclear build, decisions still lie with the UK Government, not in Wales. Building regulations are also a reserved matter. It is frustrating because, with the right tools, Wales could become a Mecca for green energy. As a realist, the Secretary of State should recognise that if the new devolution settlement works at the moment, it is built on shifting sands. There is a progressive consensus in Wales, but to protect it, the Secretary of State would do well to keep his eyes on what happens in Westminster.