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Work Programme (Wales)

I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the matter of the Government’s Work programme and its implications for Wales. I will start by saying again how delighted I am that we have brought the Welsh Grand Committee out of Westminster and into Wales. Already, judging from some of the contributions that have been made, I think that people are pleased that we are here. I also thank the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), who is departing to go off to greater meetings, because he has enriched these proceedings. What I have been trying to do, right from the beginning, is to bring in those ministerial colleagues who are experts on matters that concern Wales, so that MPs in Wales have the opportunity to question them and to discuss those matters in a formal setting. I am most grateful to the Minister for coming today and I wish him a safe journey back to London. One of the things that I have been trying to do with the Welsh Grand Committee—as the shadow Secretary of State knows—is to try to find a forum in which we can have meaningful debates and discussions about matters such as the Work programme. Indeed, the Minister who has just spoken to us follows the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Economic Secretary and the Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry), all of whom have come to the Committee to discuss their areas of responsibility in relation to Wales. The hon. Member for Newport East makes a very good point. We should consider, if we can, with the authorities and the House authorities, and in agreement across the parties, how we can develop this process so that it is meaningful and reflects what we need to discuss in terms of the responsibilities that UK Government Ministers hold for matters in Wales. I would be very willing to engage in that discussion, not only with members of other parties but with the House authorities, on ways in which we can make this process more meaningful and perhaps on whether we take this Committee out from London more often, or to any other places.