§ 1. Mr. Biffenasked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from Welsh local authorities requesting separate legislation for the establishment of a Welsh Assembly.
§ The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. John Morris)One, Sir, from Cardiff City-Council.
§ Mr. BiffenNotwithstanding the modesty of the number of requests that the right hon. and learned Gentleman has received, will he add his own voice to the growing number within this House who believe that any Welsh legislative assembly is an issue pre-eminently suitable for a separate piece of legislation?
§ Mr. MorrisI am always glad to hear of the hon. Gentleman's interest in Wales. I must tell him that he will have to await the statements by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council.
§ Mr. Gwynfor EvansIs the Secretary of State aware that the Wales TUC has consistently stood not just for the kind of executive body that the Government favour but for a legislature that would have the full ecenomic powers of which the Government spoke in their manifesto?
§ Mr. MorrisNo one is more well aware than I am of the views of the Wales TUC. If we are to have devolution, it is imperative that the Labour Government remain in office. I was sad to see the hon. Gentleman in the Opposition Lobby on the vote of confidence in the Government.
§ Mr. Ioan EvansWhen my right hon. and learned Friend is considering this issue, will he note the representations that have been made by the Labour, Liberal and Conservative Parties? Will he bear in mind that in the recent local elections the nationalists did very badly and lost three seats in my constituency alone, a fact that they did not publicise in their reports?
§ Mr. MorrisI am sure that all hon. Members are aware of the situation in the local elections. My right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council will take full account of all representations.
§ Mr. Geraint HowellsDoes the Secretary of State agree that if the devolution proposals are to be meaningful we need two separate Bills, one for Wales and one for Scotland, running concurrently in the next Session?
§ Mr. MorrisThe hon. Member has made that point before. It will be taken into account.