§ 6. Ian Lucas (Wrexham)If he will submit evidence to the commission on the powers and electoral arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales. [119753]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Yvette Cooper)The Government have provided the Richard commission with a memorandum of evidence. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has given oral evidence. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not been invited to give evidence and would not expect to do so.
§ Ian LucasBefore the reshuffle, the Deputy Prime Minister had overall control of relations between the UK Government and the National Assembly for Wales. Does he retain that position, and if so, what is the role of the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs? Is he, perhaps, head of a new Department of administrative affairs?
§ Yvette CooperThe position was set out last week. The Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for regional 346 government in the English regions. My noble Friend the Lord Falconer is responsible for overall devolution issues arising out of the Act of Settlement, and the five people currently responsible for those settlement issues in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are moving to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, as set out last week.
§ Mr. Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy)On Monday the Deputy Prime Minister said that some of the regional assemblies in England would be accorded tax-varying powers. Why has that consistently been ruled out for the Welsh Assembly?
§ Yvette CooperThat was not what my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said this week.