Wales (Structures of Government)

Part of Opposition Day – in the House of Commons at 5:18 pm on 17 August 1991.

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Photo of Mr David Hunt Mr David Hunt , Wirral West 5:18, 17 August 1991

I should have thought that if this is a serious debate and the hon. Gentleman's party is seriously proposing a Welsh Assembly, that word should appear in what is a lengthy motion.

I welcome the pro-Europe stance of the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy. It is not all that long since I used to stand on platforms on which members of Plaid Cymru would argue strongly against membership of the European Community. The fact that they are now so effusively in favour is a great testimony to the Conservative Government who took us into the Community and to the fact that it was a Conservative Prime Minister who signed the Single European Act.

Although the hon. Gentleman said that he was deeply interested in semantics, that did not show through in his speech, which was an interesting academic analysis of some of the arguments with which I should now like to deal. Deeply entrenched in all this is the question whether our existing structure, and especially the role of the Secretary of State, should continue. I have never been quite sure—it has not been clarified beyond all doubt—about Plaid Cymru's proposals for the role of the Secretary of State for Wales in the United Kingdom Cabinet.

On 17 June I told the House that I could not accept the proposals for a Welsh Assembly, which are being advanced with decreasing enthusiasm by the Assembly of Welsh Counties and the Council of Welsh Districts, but with increasing enthusiasm by the Labour party and by my hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (Mr. Raffan). I believe that the establishment of an assembly is incompatible with the maintenance of the office of Secretary of State for Wales, who has a broad range of functions and a seat in the Cabinet. As I have said again and again, the interests of the people of Wales are best served if they are directly represented at the table at which the important decisions are made.