"Wales Bill deal ensures AMs can keep an eye on WAG." - German

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th Jul 2006

Mike German, Assembly leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, hailed the compromise on the Government of Wales Bill as a key step to ensuring effective scrutiny of new made-in-Wales legislation.

He said: "This deal, struck in London and Cardiff, is a significant improvement to what remains a patronising bill, which grudgingly gives more powers to Wales.

"The changes we have secured will ensure that AMs of all parties will be able to effectively scrutinise any legislation put forward by the Welsh Assembly Government. Greater powers come with a greater responsibility to get things right.

"The reality of the situation is that Labour has consistently refused to listen to responsible amendments from all the parties during the bill's passage through both Houses of Parliament. Only the Welsh Lib Dems have been able to wring changes from the Government on this Bill.

"Now this bill will be passed before the end of term, it will allow all of us in Wales to get a headstart on how we use these new powers. Welsh Liberal Democrats have already started, and are the only party committed to stretching and extending these powers to the maximum. Wales still needs a proper parliament, and this bill - if used to its maximum potential - will take us most of the way there.

"We don't believe the bill is good enough, it still treats Wales as a second class country, but these changes mean the Assembly can work more effectively."

ENDS

Notes:

The Government of Wales Bill returns to the House of Commons this afternoon, where MPs will debate amendments put forward by the Lords. The debate is likely to begin around 5.30pm.

The Government originally proposed that Assembly Committees be selected via the d'Hondt formula, which would have enabled the largest party in the Assembly to dominate the Committee structure to a disproportionate degree. However, after meetings with the Welsh Liberal Democrats the Government have now put forward an amendment which means that committees will be selected to reflect the reflect the political balance in the Assembly, giving smaller parties a proportionate voice on Assembly Committees.

The Bill is expected to come back to the Lords before the House rises on Tuesday 25th July.