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Legislative Programme and Budget Statement (Wales)

I agree with what has just been said. I hope that you have a convivial and rewarding afternoon, Mr Sheridan, which I am sure is likely in the Welsh Grand Committee. With regard to the Parliamentary Reform Bill, I will not go over what has been said already about the equalisation of constituencies. Suffice it to say that the constituency I have the honour of representing, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, is 100 miles from north to south and about 95 east to west, so heaven knows what will happen if it is equalised with anything. It has a sparse population and therefore great care has to be taken in dealing with it, otherwise there will be the accusation of gerrymandering. I know that nobody wants to start down that path now, but it will be a very difficult job, so let us hope that we can exercise the highest form of care. We are very much in favour of a lobbyists’ register, which is common in European Parliaments, and I understand there is also far more transparency on the issue in the Welsh Assembly. I hope that the gist of the Elected Representatives (Prohibition of Deception) Bill, which was introduced by a member of my party and has received the support of the Liberal Democrats, might be included too. A major issue for Wales is the commitment to a referendum, which we understand from the Secretary of State will be in spring 2011. There is little doubt that the legislative competence order process, even when it works comparatively well, is bureaucratic and time consuming, taking 27 different processes to create Welsh legislation. That really cannot continue.