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National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Welsh Language)

That proves that there is no collusion between Plaid Cymru Members, as that is the point I am moving on to. The fact that not all competency in respect of the language is transferred raises a number of points. As I argued earlier, in my view, it is likely to lead to more dissatisfaction, protests and pressure for a further transfer. For example—my hon. Friend has already given one—in 2006-07, I introduced a ten-minute Bill, the Bilingual Juries (Wales) Bill, which would have ensured that in certain circumstances, evidence given in Welsh would be understood directly by the jury on the same basis as evidence already understood in English; it would be the same principle, that evidence should be understood directly rather than in translation. I think that there is a certain amount of consensus behind that—that there are questions to be answered. Unsurprisingly, that Bill proceeded no further. On 1 April this year, 40 years to the day that the 1967 Act came into force, I presented another ten-minute Bill, which would have at last allowed anyone in Wales to register a birth or death in Welsh, irrespective of the fact that the birth or death might have taken place in England. That is a small anomaly that affects people mainly in Powys, Monmouthshire, the east of Clywd and eastern Wrexham, where normally people go over to England to have a birth, or, unfortunately, die in hospital. At present, those people might want to register that birth or death in Welsh, but are unable to do so. My ten-minute Bill would simply allow that to happen by a not particularly clever device, which I will not go into now. Neither Bill proceeded any further. I did not expect them to, but I think it would be wise for this place to respond to the matters, which are not being transferred to Cardiff. I merely point out that if it is the intention of any Government in London, of whatever stripe, to maintain the partial nature of the transfer, the other side is to give proper attention to matters that are not transferred; I have just mentioned two that could be given full and proper consideration. I found the process of working with my colleagues in the Welsh Affairs Committee very positive. We moved a great deal from where we were at the end of the evidence sessions, which I thought went well. I thought we took a number of steps backwards, and then moved forwards again. That process was a positive experience, although, as I said, I am still very much in favour of moving on from the LCO arrangements as soon as possible. I will end by quoting Ned Thomas. In his book, ““The Welsh Extremist”” from 1972, he complained—we all complain very well—that Welsh had ““high prestige but low priority””. I hope that we are moving away from that situation, and I trust that we are.