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Legislative Programme and Budget Statement (Wales)

I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the matter of the Government’s legislative programme as outlined in the Queen’s Speech and the Budget statement as they relate to Wales. Earlier, I welcomed you to the Chair, Mr Brady, and I now welcome you again. I said in my opening point of order that you could expect a lively sitting, and we have not been disappointed by the antics from Members on the Opposition Benches. I thank my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury for taking time to address the Committee and for delivering an open and frank assessment of the challenges that we face and of the impact of the Budget. I am sad that when the new style of coalition Government offers up the Chief Secretary of the Treasury to members of the Committee so that they can question him seriously about the Budget, they have wasted that opportunity. I had suggested that we have two Welsh Grand Committees, with one on the Queen’s Speech. Through the usual channels, I outlined to the right hon. Member for Neath, the shadow Secretary of State for Wales, a date for that Committee but I received a message that it was not convenient and that he would rather the two Committees be rolled together, which is why we have rolled them together today. Furthermore, my office rang the shadow Secretary of State this morning and received no reply. I am assured by those who arrange such matters that everything has been done in accordance with the practice that was in existence. People watching our proceedings will be rather shocked and ashamed that so many hon. Members failed to take the opportunity for in-depth questioning of the Chief Secretary, something not accorded by the previous Government but which we accorded in a spirit of respect to allow Welsh Members unfettered access to the very member of the Treasury team responsible for finance in Wales. It is an opportunity that has been wasted, and it will not go unnoticed outside the Committee.