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Silk Commission: Call for UK government response | Silk Commission: Call for UK government response |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A member of a commission which recommends more fiscal powers for the Welsh assembly has called for the UK government to respond to the proposals. | A member of a commission which recommends more fiscal powers for the Welsh assembly has called for the UK government to respond to the proposals. |
The Silk Commission is examining the future of devolution in Wales and has recommended some tax-varying powers. | |
Plaid Cymru economic adviser Dr Eurfyl ap Gwilym said he hoped the proposals would be implemented "pretty rapidly". | Plaid Cymru economic adviser Dr Eurfyl ap Gwilym said he hoped the proposals would be implemented "pretty rapidly". |
Welsh Secretary David Jones said the UK government would "take as much time as necessary". | |
The UK government set up the commission to examine the future of the Welsh assembly's powers. | |
Chaired by former assembly clerk Paul Silk, it includes eight unpaid members including representatives from the four main political parties. | |
The inquiry was split into two parts. | |
Part one of the inquiry looked at fiscal powers, and a report published in November 2012 made 33 recommendations, including some tax-varying powers. | Part one of the inquiry looked at fiscal powers, and a report published in November 2012 made 33 recommendations, including some tax-varying powers. |
The second, ongoing part of the inquiry's work, has taken evidence on whether there should be other changes to the devolution settlement. | The second, ongoing part of the inquiry's work, has taken evidence on whether there should be other changes to the devolution settlement. |
It has looked at what policy areas should be controlled by the devolved administration and what should remain under the UK government in Westminster. | |
The commission's full report is due to be published in spring 2014. | The commission's full report is due to be published in spring 2014. |
Dr Gwilym, the Plaid Cymru representative, told BBC Radio Wales the commission had "no idea" why the UK government had not responded. | |
He added: "We put forward those recommendations about eight months ago. | He added: "We put forward those recommendations about eight months ago. |
"The UK government said they would respond by the end of the spring. | "The UK government said they would respond by the end of the spring. |
"The end of the spring I think is technically 21 June. We haven't heard yet and of course in a couple of weeks' time Parliament recesses for the summer. | |
"So we're very hopeful that the government will respond before Parliament goes down for the summer break." | "So we're very hopeful that the government will respond before Parliament goes down for the summer break." |
He said the commission backed the proposals unanimously and "we'd like to see those being implemented pretty rapidly". | He said the commission backed the proposals unanimously and "we'd like to see those being implemented pretty rapidly". |
He said there was speculation the proposals were being considered alongside devolution considerations in England but warned tackling everything in one go could be "complex". | He said there was speculation the proposals were being considered alongside devolution considerations in England but warned tackling everything in one go could be "complex". |
Dr Gwilym said the commission's 33 recommendations for Wales were "relatively straight forward" and all but one of the tax matters were already devolved to Scotland, adding: "If they're devolved to Scotland, why not to Wales?" | |
'Implications for UK' | |
He added that commission members were due to meet Welsh Secretary David Jones MP on Thursday. | |
In response to Dr Gwilym's comments, Mr Jones said: "The Silk Commission made 33 detailed recommendations that would fundamentally alter the Welsh devolution settlement in terms of financial powers. | |
"They have implications for the whole of the UK, not just for Wales, and it is right that we take as much time as necessary to consider fully the implications. | |
"We will respond as soon as possible." | |
David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth, said he suspected the UK government would "link their response to their response to what goes on in England as well". | |
He said he was "certainly unhappy" with some of the Silk Commission's recommendations and he would be "very interested to see what the response of the government is". | |
Earlier this week, deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told MPs that supporters of more devolution would be "pleasantly surprised" by the UK government's "forthcoming and forward-leaning approach". |
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