My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Wales (David Jones) has made the following Ministerial Statement:

On 18 November, the Government announced its response to the Silk Commission’s Part I recommendations on fiscal devolution to Wales.

I am pleased today to publish the draft Wales Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny....

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Wales (David Jones) has made the following Ministerial Statement:

On 18 November, the Government announced its response to the Silk Commission’s Part I recommendations on fiscal devolution to Wales.

I am pleased today to publish the draft Wales Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny....

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Northern Ireland Assembly about designating some excepted matters as reserved matters; what were those matters; and on which dates any such representations were received.[HL4050]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Northern Ireland Assembly about designating some excepted matters as reserved matters; what were those matters; and on which dates any such representations were received.[HL4050]

On 18 November, the Government announced their response to the Silk commission’s part 1 recommendations on fiscal devolution to Wales.

I am pleased today to publish the draft Wales Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Bill implements almost all of the recommendations from the Silk commission’s

first report on the devolution of...

On 18 November, the Government announced their response to the Silk commission’s part 1 recommendations on fiscal devolution to Wales.

I am pleased today to publish the draft Wales Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Bill implements almost all of the recommendations from the Silk commission’s

first report on the devolution of...

My Lords, I first declare my vice-presidency of the Local Government Association, and I thank noble Lords taking part in this debate for their contributions.

I have asked to discuss the Barnett formula today for three reasons: first, because the debate that will take place over the next few months prior...

My Lords, I first declare my vice-presidency of the Local Government Association, and I thank noble Lords taking part in this debate for their contributions.

I have asked to discuss the Barnett formula today for three reasons: first, because the debate that will take place over the next few months prior...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Shipley for introducing this topic and for giving us such interesting views on a new form of local government that certainly contains many elements.

As he said, it is of course most understandable that devolved Administrations and local government are all looking harder...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Shipley for introducing this topic and for giving us such interesting views on a new form of local government that certainly contains many elements.

As he said, it is of course most understandable that devolved Administrations and local government are all looking harder...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this debate, and his succinct address.

Were he alive, Lord Roberts of Conwy would be here today. As a long-standing ministerial and opposition opponent of his, I think that his contribution to Wales’s public life was magnificent. He was more...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this debate, and his succinct address.

Were he alive, Lord Roberts of Conwy would be here today. As a long-standing ministerial and opposition opponent of his, I think that his contribution to Wales’s public life was magnificent. He was more...

Like my noble friend Lord Shipley, I believe that the Barnett formula is fundamentally unfair and I will relate this to adult social care. As we have heard, this is an out-of-date formula for allocating resources across the UK.

The Local Government Association estimates that allocating funding on a needs-based formula...

Like my noble friend Lord Shipley, I believe that the Barnett formula is fundamentally unfair and I will relate this to adult social care. As we have heard, this is an out-of-date formula for allocating resources across the UK.

The Local Government Association estimates that allocating funding on a needs-based formula...

My Lords, I also declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association, of which I am a former chairman, and I want to add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this important debate. I strongly support the recommendation made by the Local Government...

My Lords, I also declare an interest as a vice-president of the Local Government Association, of which I am a former chairman, and I want to add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this important debate. I strongly support the recommendation made by the Local Government...

In his reply, I would like the Minister to address the point that if any reform—which he may or may not agree to—is to be worth while, the work on structuring it has to begin now. Elections are

coming along and it is most unlikely that people will put forward...

In his reply, I would like the Minister to address the point that if any reform—which he may or may not agree to—is to be worth while, the work on structuring it has to begin now. Elections are

coming along and it is most unlikely that people will put forward...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for facilitating this debate. I identified with many of the points that he made. I also join the noble Lord, Lord Jones, in his comments about the late Wyn Roberts, whom we all miss very much.

I am glad this opportunity has...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for facilitating this debate. I identified with many of the points that he made. I also join the noble Lord, Lord Jones, in his comments about the late Wyn Roberts, whom we all miss very much.

I am glad this opportunity has...

From the study that the noble Lord has made, perhaps I may ask him whether the shortfall that the LGA was talking about is based purely on equality of distribution, or took into account the Holtham needs-based formula.

From the study that the noble Lord has made, perhaps I may ask him whether the shortfall that the LGA was talking about is based purely on equality of distribution, or took into account the Holtham needs-based formula.

The table that was published, which I do not have time to go into in detail, referred to, “Identifiable public sector expenditure”, which is a different concept from that which is attributed by Barnett or needs analysis in its own right.

6.23 pm

The table that was published, which I do not have time to go into in detail, referred to, “Identifiable public sector expenditure”, which is a different concept from that which is attributed by Barnett or needs analysis in its own right.

6.23 pm

My Lords, I note that the noble Lord, Lord Wigley, asked that political parties include a needs-based formula in their manifestos. I somehow suspect that they will not be on the front pages or among the first six pledges—or three or however many pledges we choose—because this is one those...

My Lords, I note that the noble Lord, Lord Wigley, asked that political parties include a needs-based formula in their manifestos. I somehow suspect that they will not be on the front pages or among the first six pledges—or three or however many pledges we choose—because this is one those...

My Lords, I will speak briefly in the gap.

I was a member of the Select Committee which recommended moving from the Barnett formula to needs assessment. However, the first thing we learnt from the evidence was that the Barnett formula is extremely simple to operate, which was a bonus for...

My Lords, I will speak briefly in the gap.

I was a member of the Select Committee which recommended moving from the Barnett formula to needs assessment. However, the first thing we learnt from the evidence was that the Barnett formula is extremely simple to operate, which was a bonus for...

My Lords, like other noble Lords who have spoken, I place on record my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this Question for Short Debate in the light of the

Local Government Association’s recommendation that the Barnett formula is replaced with a new needs-based funding model.

The Barnett...

My Lords, like other noble Lords who have spoken, I place on record my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for initiating this Question for Short Debate in the light of the

Local Government Association’s recommendation that the Barnett formula is replaced with a new needs-based funding model.

The Barnett...

My Lords, this is an important subject and I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for giving us the opportunity to debate it this afternoon, and for all the contributions that have been made.

For what is essentially a mathematical equation, the Barnett formula retains the capacity to generate...

My Lords, this is an important subject and I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, for giving us the opportunity to debate it this afternoon, and for all the contributions that have been made.

For what is essentially a mathematical equation, the Barnett formula retains the capacity to generate...

My Lords, as I was saying, changes to the devolution settlements already legislated for in relation to Scotland, and in prospect for Wales, are increasing the levels of accountability and flexibility the devolved Administrations there will have in future over their own fiscal position. That has been warmly welcomed in...

My Lords, as I was saying, changes to the devolution settlements already legislated for in relation to Scotland, and in prospect for Wales, are increasing the levels of accountability and flexibility the devolved Administrations there will have in future over their own fiscal position. That has been warmly welcomed in...

My Lords, in response to the point about the funding formulas in West Oxfordshire, I agree that it is very complicated stuff. Is there anything that the Minister or his department could provide to Members so that we may understand it further? If we have debates saying that this council...

My Lords, in response to the point about the funding formulas in West Oxfordshire, I agree that it is very complicated stuff. Is there anything that the Minister or his department could provide to Members so that we may understand it further? If we have debates saying that this council...

My Lords, there is to be a Statement before the Commons rises for Christmas about the funding for the next financial year, which will give the noble Lord’s colleagues in the other place, if not necessarily here, the chance to ask a lot of detailed questions about that. Perhaps it...

My Lords, there is to be a Statement before the Commons rises for Christmas about the funding for the next financial year, which will give the noble Lord’s colleagues in the other place, if not necessarily here, the chance to ask a lot of detailed questions about that. Perhaps it...