Power to Enter into Concordat

Part of Orders of the Day — Government of Wales Bill – in the House of Commons at 8:45 pm on 25 March 1998.

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Photo of Mr Ted Rowlands Mr Ted Rowlands Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 8:45, 25 March 1998

It is not a legal relationship at present; it is an administrative-executive arrangement between two sets of officials, but within a common system. I was saying that one of the questions that we need to ask is what happens when we break that up and the officials turn up in Whitehall from the assembly, with different political masters, different priorities and different remits.

I tried to read the document that, according to my right hon. Friend on 2 March,

could not be classified as a ripping good yarn, but … is worth reading" — [Official Report, 2 March 1998; Vol. 307, c. 745.] The right hon. Member for Devizes quoted from it earlier—but I did not find that it answered the one basic question that I would like answered.