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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Whitehall devolution 'ignorance' | Whitehall devolution 'ignorance' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Whitehall civil servants display a "poor knowledge and understanding" of devolution, says a report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. | Whitehall civil servants display a "poor knowledge and understanding" of devolution, says a report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. |
| More training is needed for Whitehall to understand devolution, while their colleagues in Cardiff need to show more confidence, the report says. | More training is needed for Whitehall to understand devolution, while their colleagues in Cardiff need to show more confidence, the report says. |
| The select committee said reform of the way Wales is funded was needed and that a new funding formula must be "fairer". | The select committee said reform of the way Wales is funded was needed and that a new funding formula must be "fairer". |
| Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the report "makes very interesting points". | Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the report "makes very interesting points". |
| The report says Westminster and Welsh governments need a better relationship. | The report says Westminster and Welsh governments need a better relationship. |
| It follows a series of hearings by the committee, taking evidence from civil servants and politicians. | It follows a series of hearings by the committee, taking evidence from civil servants and politicians. |
| Ministers and civil servants at both ends of the M4 need to be more coordinated, strategic and transparent Committee chair Hywel Francis | Ministers and civil servants at both ends of the M4 need to be more coordinated, strategic and transparent Committee chair Hywel Francis |
| The MPs said they were concerned about delays to Welsh law-making which may have been caused by the time taken to clear legislative competence orders (LCOs) through Whitehall. | The MPs said they were concerned about delays to Welsh law-making which may have been caused by the time taken to clear legislative competence orders (LCOs) through Whitehall. |
| Until an LCO is passed, the Welsh assembly cannot take control of law-making in the devolved policy area covered by the order. | Until an LCO is passed, the Welsh assembly cannot take control of law-making in the devolved policy area covered by the order. |
| The report says: "They (LCOs) are frequently not given priority within Whitehall departments, which may affect the delivery of the Welsh assembly government's legislative timetable." | The report says: "They (LCOs) are frequently not given priority within Whitehall departments, which may affect the delivery of the Welsh assembly government's legislative timetable." |
| It adds that Whitehall had not fully engaged with devolution and recommended more training for civil servants. | It adds that Whitehall had not fully engaged with devolution and recommended more training for civil servants. |
| 'Strong voice' | 'Strong voice' |
| The MPs also said the means by which Wales was funded, the Barnett formula, "does not seem to us to be guaranteed to be sustainable" and should be replaced. | The MPs also said the means by which Wales was funded, the Barnett formula, "does not seem to us to be guaranteed to be sustainable" and should be replaced. |
| The report states: "We urge the government, as a priority, to review the current arrangements and to adopt a needs-based approach to a new financial settlement...bringing about a formula which is fairer to Wales." | The report states: "We urge the government, as a priority, to review the current arrangements and to adopt a needs-based approach to a new financial settlement...bringing about a formula which is fairer to Wales." |
| The committee recommends the Cabinet Office, "with its position close to the Prime Minister" should take on this central responsibility. | The committee recommends the Cabinet Office, "with its position close to the Prime Minister" should take on this central responsibility. |
| Whitehall machine needs to be far more involved in devolution so they understand what inter-governmental relations really are about Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Welsh assembly presiding officer | |
| The MPs found that the memorandum of understanding which forms the basis of inter-governmental relations between Wales and Whitehall needs a "broad review" and that relying on informal links is not good enough. | The MPs found that the memorandum of understanding which forms the basis of inter-governmental relations between Wales and Whitehall needs a "broad review" and that relying on informal links is not good enough. |
| It says Whitehall responsibility for devolution strategy lacks a "strong centre" as it is shared between the Ministry of Justice, the Cabinet Office and the Wales Office. | It says Whitehall responsibility for devolution strategy lacks a "strong centre" as it is shared between the Ministry of Justice, the Cabinet Office and the Wales Office. |
| Committee chair Hywel Francis said the arrival of democratic devolution for Wales over the past decade had been the biggest constitutional change for Wales since 1536. | Committee chair Hywel Francis said the arrival of democratic devolution for Wales over the past decade had been the biggest constitutional change for Wales since 1536. |
| He said: "Our inquiry must be seen in this historical context. | He said: "Our inquiry must be seen in this historical context. |
| "Ministers and senior civil servants at both ends of the M4 need to be more coordinated, strategic and transparent in their development and delivery of devolution with a much higher priority given to awareness raising of Welsh devolution in Whitehall. | "Ministers and senior civil servants at both ends of the M4 need to be more coordinated, strategic and transparent in their development and delivery of devolution with a much higher priority given to awareness raising of Welsh devolution in Whitehall. |
| 'More pro-active' | |
| "Welsh ministers and Welsh civil servants of both governments should be much more pro-active in achieving this." | "Welsh ministers and Welsh civil servants of both governments should be much more pro-active in achieving this." |
| Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, presiding officer for the National Assembly for Wales, said the report had correctly identified a lack of transparency between the assembly and Whitehall. | |
| He told BBC Radio Wales: "The difficulty has been, and is endemic in the history of the UK, that people in Westminster do not realise that the UK is a federal state, where powers are distributed differently. | |
| "Of course there is need of a cultural change - that's not just in Whitehall, that's also in Wales, that's also in our relationship with the EU." | |
| He said the "Whitehall machine needs to be far more involved in devolution so they understand what inter-governmental relations really are about". | |
| Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the report "makes very interesting points" which would repay the careful consideration he intended to give it. | Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the report "makes very interesting points" which would repay the careful consideration he intended to give it. |
| He said: "I am pleased they agree with me that there must be a strong voice for Wales, in the form of a secretary of state for Wales sitting at the cabinet table." | He said: "I am pleased they agree with me that there must be a strong voice for Wales, in the form of a secretary of state for Wales sitting at the cabinet table." |