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

The LCO has been a long time getting here, and was initially controversial. The controversy has died down because of the way in which Members of the House of Commons, Members of the Assembly and Ministers were able to deal with the tricky issues. However, it was complicated and long. I have spent 17 months of my life having to deal with it, having had the experience of the less lamented housing LCO, which I assume is to be resurrected fairly soon. Because of its length and complexity, the experience has been a good one. There were huge issues and strong views to be considered, not least those held by myself. The consultation that I called for in January, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has continued, was an important step in ensuring that people throughout Wales were able to express their views on the development in Welsh language legislation. To a large extent, we were vindicated in doing so, because it meant that people could air their views. As a consequence, what emerges as law is something that enjoys general consensus. I want to commend the Welsh Affairs Committee, particularly its Chair, my hon. Friend the Member for Aberavon. He mentioned one of his earlier incarnations as an historian, but he omitted to mention his later incarnation as my special adviser at the Wales Office for a year or two, at which he did his very best—partly successfully—to moderate my Monmouthshire views on various aspects of language legislation.