Parity of respect with Scotland – Presiding Officer gives evidence to House of Commons committee

Published 04/12/2014   |   Last Updated 22/05/2015

​The National Assembly for Wales's Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, will give evidence to the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee.

The committee is taking evidence at the National Assembly on 4 December.

In her evidence, the Presiding Officer will say that many of the recommendations made about further devolution in Scotland "chime" with what she has been calling for to make the Assembly stronger.

"The Assembly has already agreed a cross party motion setting out various areas where we wish to see progress for Wales's devolution," the Presiding Officer will tell the Committee.

"Many of the recommendations of the Smith Commission chime with what I have been calling for to make the Assembly stronger.

"Where Scotland is being offered new powers or responsibilities, we would expect the same respect to be shown to Wales's devolved institution."

The PO will also call for urgent action to increase the size of the Assembly.

She will say: "There is no question in my mind that we now need more AMs.  I called for 80 in my evidence to the Silk Commission. That was almost two years ago now… I am now minded to say that we need more than 80 and as soon as possible."

Dame Rosemary will also reflect on her role in the devolution process.

"I welcome the work being done by the Secretary of State to reach a political consensus by 1 March 2014.  It is ambitious but it is also time our constitutional arrangements caught up with the changing nature of our Union.

"As Presiding Officer, my priorities are not party political, but driven by the long term needs of the Assembly as an effective democratic institution.  We now have the opportunity to achieve some essential changes which would provide a sustainable foundation for the institution to deliver for the people of Wales."

During the session, the Presiding Officer will reiterate her call for the following key issues to be addressed to ensure that the Assembly can exercise its powers as effectively as possible:

  • Capacity – the Presiding Officer has consistently called for the number of Assembly Members to be increased to at least 80 in order to ensure we have the capacity to develop the necessary expertise required to robustly hold Government Ministers to account on their policy, legislative and tax raising proposals;
  • Reserved Powers – moving to a reserved powers model will help to dispel some of the uncertainty of the Assembly's role and responsibilities.  It will allow the Assembly to legislate more effectively and with greater confidence;
  • Sovereignty – the Assembly should be able to decide its own future and control decisions on matters such as the Assembly's name and electoral arrangements and internal rules, rather than Westminster, and create the best possible laws for the people of Wales.

The House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee will meet in Committee Room 1 of the Senedd from 09.30, with the Presiding Officer giving evidence at 11.25.