§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council what provisions are envisaged in the White Paper, Command Paper No. 6348, to ensure that representation on the Executive Committee of the Assembly will be broadly based and reflect the strength of the various parties that may be represented in the Assembly.
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§ Mr. Edward ShortThe White Paper states that Executive Members will be appointed by the Assembly, and that the Executive Members from the major subject committees plus any other Members, not exceeding a quarter of the total, especially appointed by the Assembly. The Assembly will also appoint the Chief Executive, who is to be the Chairman of the Executive Committee. All appointments to the Executive Committee will 813W therefore be effectively in the Assembly's own hands; but there is no requirement for the Committee's composition to reflect party representation in the Assembly.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council if the Welsh Assembly will have the power to change the constitution, terms of reference or number of members of the nominated bodies existing solely in Wales.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe Welsh Assembly will in general be given all governmental powers under existing legislation affecting nominated bodies operating wholly in Wales on devolved matters. If those powers would be sufficient to change the constitution, terms of reference or number of members, it will be up to the Assembly to decide whether or not to exercise them. In addition, the Secretary of State will be able by Order subject to negative resolution to provide that the Assembly itself should assume the functions of a particular nominated body operating only in Wales.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council what powers the proposed Welsh Assembly will have for mineral exploration in Wales.
§ Mr. Edward ShortLand use and development, including protection of countryside amenity and landscape, are among the subjects to be devolved as listed in Appendix D of the White Paper "Our Changing Democracy: Devolution to Scotland and Wales". Further details will be set out in the draft Bill to be published in the spring.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council if the proposed Welsh Assembly will have the right to set up new nominated bodies operating only in Wales; and, if so, in what spheres it may do so for (a) executive purposes and (b) advisory purposes.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe answer to the first part of the question is Yes, as a matter of administrative machinery: and to the second, for any purpose connected with the devolved functions.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council if the Welsh Assembly will have the power to issue the equivalent of Orders-in-Council in matters which are 814W of concern to the Assembly but over which no executive responsibility has been devolved.
§ Mr. Edward ShortNo.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council what powers the proposed Welsh Assembly will have to intervene in the case of factory closures or large scale redundancies in Wales.
§ Mr. Edward ShortNone of a formal kind. But the White Paper "Our Changing Democracy: Devolution to Scotland and Wales" stresses the importance of continuing close contacts and extensive consultation between the Government and the Welsh Assembly on matters of common concern, which must obviously include the kind of matters mentioned by the hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Lord President of the Council what powers the proposed Welsh Assembly will have to intervene to prevent closures of stations, railway line or passenger or freight railway services in Wales.
§ Mr. Edward ShortThe Assembly will have a power similar to that of local authorities to subsidise railway passenger services. This will enable it to influence the pattern of railway services in Wales.