New Clause 1 - Commissioner's annual report

Part of Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:30 pm on 30 January 2001.

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Photo of Mr Richard Livsey Mr Richard Livsey Liberal Democrat, Brecon and Radnorshire 12:30, 30 January 2001

I agree with the hon. Members for Cardiff, North and for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy. The new clause relates to accountability and functions, which were sorted out during debate on the Government of Wales Bill—now the Government of Wales Act 1998. To accept the new clause would be to go backwards.

I understand that Opposition Members want information. I, too, want freedom of information, and am sure that the report will be available to everyone, as will a breakdown of the Assembly's expenditure. Those matters have been devolved to the Assembly; they have been settled, and we cannot go back into history and unscramble that. There is already a means of processing that information, and we all understand it.