Queen’s Speech disappoints devolution parties
The Welsh opposition parties have branded Tuesday’s Queen’s Speech a missed opportunity for devolved government.
Plaid Cymru said the Government had shown “contempt” for the Welsh Assembly; whilst the Welsh Liberal Democrats said the Assembly needed its own law making powers; and the Conservatives bemoaned the lack of focus on healthcare.
However, the Welsh Secretary Peter Hain described it as the “best ever” Queen’s Speech for Wales.
Today’s proposals included a Welsh Transport Bill, which would give the Welsh Assembly powers to secure public transport services where they would not otherwise be provided and to offer financial assistance to air services. The Assembly would also be obliged to promote safe and sustainable transport and to publish a transport strategy.
A single public service ombudsman for Wales is also proposed, to be created through the merger of three existing offices.
Bill Wiggin, Shadow Secretary for Wales, said that the proposals were inadequate and he had “deep reservations” about the Bills announced.
He said that in failing to act on waiting lists and MRSA in Wales the Government has “completely fails to tackle some of the most real and important issues facing the people of Wales.”
The Conservative spokesman added: “Instead the Government has focussed on a Transport Bill – much of which became irrelevant after the Government decided to scrap the Strategic Rail Authority. This has given them the excuse to avoid answering lots of questions. For example, the financial implications for the Assembly and the people of Wales remain uncertain.”
Elgyn Llwd, Plaid Cymru’s parliamentary leader, said that the speech “shows the Government’s contempt for the Labour Assembly Government and the National Assembly for Wales.”
He pointed out that of the six bills for inclusion suggested by the Executive only one had been included, and bemoaned the lack of a Bill to tackle the housing “crisis” in Wales. It had been proposed that in some Welsh areas the sale of council houses would be suspended.
Arguing that the focus on crime and security in the speech was disproportionate, Mr Llwd accused Tony Blair of “ignoring what people in Wales really want to see, which is an improvement in public services. We have the worst hospital waiting lists in Western Europe yet the Government is ignoring this by frightening people into voting New Labour.”
Describing the speech as a missed opportunity, the Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Lembit Opik said: “Peter Hain has made great play of his ‘success’ in getting two Welsh bills to the starting blocks this year – but he will never be able to meet the demand for legislation coming from the Assembly. That’s why the Assembly must be given the power to make its own laws at the earliest opportunity. Only then will we end the absurd situation where Wales can only hope to get a single bill, or two at most in any calendar year.”
Mr Hain though said that the inclusion of two Welsh bills in the speech was a historic moment for Wales. He said: “This is an historic result for Wales and shows the Government’s determination to give the National Assembly Government the tools to deliver policies tailored to its needs.”
He pointed out there had been only three previous Wales-only bills since devolution, saying that with the total boosted to five, “these Bills allow the Assembly to pursue its own policy agenda.” The Welsh Secretary added that within the overall legislative agenda, there were 11 Bills that contained specific Welsh clauses.
