Became Member: 27th May 1981
Left House: 12th February 2020 (Retired)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Elystan-Morgan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Lord Elystan-Morgan has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Lord Elystan-Morgan has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.
We are continuing to work closely with the devolved administrations to quickly determine where common approaches will and will not be required in the future. These discussions are guided by the common frameworks principles agreed at JMC(EN) on 16 October https://www.gov.uk/government/news/progress-made-at-eu-talks-with-devolved-governments--2. We know that there will be some areas where we will continue to need common frameworks, but equally some areas where common frameworks would not be needed. The Government expects that the return of powers from the EU will lead to a significant increase in the decision making powers for the devolved administrations.
The UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments agreed at JMC(EN) on 16 October the principles that will guide how we approach common frameworks in future https://www.gov.uk/government/news/progress-made-at-eu-talks-with-devolved-governments--2. Discussions with the devolved administrations in these areas are ongoing. We do not expect there to be a need for frameworks in all areas currently governed by EU law, and so the Government expects that the return of powers from the EU will lead to a significant increase in the decision making powers for the devolved administrations.
The Government has committed to working closely with the devolved administrations on common frameworks, establishing them only where they are needed and identifying areas that could be released from the temporary competence arrangement in time for exit day. These discussions are ongoing, guided by the principles agreed between the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments at the last meeting of Joint Ministerial Committee (European Negotiations).
The UK Government has been clear that the devolved administrations should be fully engaged in preparations for the UK’s exit from the EU. The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations facilitates engagement and collaboration on EU Exit. In addition to the formal structures of the Joint Ministerial Committee, constructive bilateral engagement with the devolved administrations on a wide range of policy areas related to EU Exit continues at both Ministerial and official level.
The UK Governance Group brings together under one command the Cabinet Office Constitution Group, the Scotland Office, the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland and the Wales Office. This Group leads the UK Government’s work on constitutional and devolution issues, and is the primary source of advice to UK Government Ministers and Departments for this area.
Activities and performance of the Group are reported in the Cabinet Office annual report and the annual reports of the other departmental constituent parts of the Group.
The UK Governance Group brings together under one command the Cabinet Office Constitution Group, the Scotland Office, the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland and the Wales Office. This Group leads the UK Government’s work on constitutional and devolution issues, and is the primary source of advice to UK Government Ministers and Departments for this area.
Activities and performance of the Group are reported in the Cabinet Office annual report and the annual reports of the other departmental constituent parts of the Group.
The Government recognises the need to review the Memorandum of Understanding with the devolved administrations. The decision to review the Memorandum of Understanding must be taken with the agreement of the four participating administrations - the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.
Meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) are subject to agreement by all four administrations. The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) met most recently on 16 October and agreed to meet again before Christmas.
The Memorandum of Understanding agreed between the UK Government and devolved administrations states that the Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) should meet at least once a year. The UK Government and the devolved administrations will work together to agree any future date of the next Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary).
The Joint Ministerial Committee (Plenary) (JMC(P)) and (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) consist of representatives from the UK Government and each of the devolved administrations. Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales, attends meetings of JMC(P). Mark Drakeford AM, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the Welsh Government, has attended every meeting of JMC(EN).
The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations is just one of the ways the UK Government engages with the devolved administrations. There has been, and will continue to be, constructive engagement on the issue of EU exit through a variety of means. Since negotiations began, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU has spoken to ministers from the Scottish and Welsh Governments on a number of occasions to update on progress. The First Secretary of State has met the Deputy First Minister of Scotland and First Minister of Wales to progress discussions between JMC meetings.
The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) met on Monday 16 October and will meet again later in 2017. Further meetings are to be agreed by all administrations.
The UK Government is committed to engagement with the devolved administrations, both within the formal structures of the Joint Ministerial Committee and also through bilateral discussions.
The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) (JMC(EN)) consists of representatives from the UK Government and each of the devolved administrations.
Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the Welsh Government and the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff West, has attended every meeting of JMC(EN) as a Minister for the Welsh Government.
Within the last 12 months, the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) has met five times.
The Industrial Strategy Council will be independent. It will be responsible for putting the right evaluation and reporting structures in place and make recommendations to government on industrial strategy.
We will begin the process to establish the Council as soon as possible. We expect Council members will be invited on the basis of their expertise, experience and skills. We expect the Council’s membership to be multidisciplinary and include leading business men and women, investors, economists and academics with wide ranging knowledge of local, national and international perspectives. Our aim is for it to start work in spring 2018.
The Industrial Strategy Council will be independent. It will be responsible for putting the right evaluation and reporting structures in place and make recommendations to government on industrial strategy.
We will begin the process to establish the Council as soon as possible. We expect Council members will be invited on the basis of their expertise, experience and skills. We expect the Council’s membership to be multidisciplinary and include leading business men and women, investors, economists and academics with wide ranging knowledge of local, national and international perspectives. Our aim is for it to start work in spring 2018.
The Industrial Strategy Council will be independent. It will be responsible for putting the right evaluation and reporting structures in place and make recommendations to government on industrial strategy.
We will begin the process to establish the Council as soon as possible. We expect Council members will be invited on the basis of their expertise, experience and skills. We expect the Council’s membership to be multidisciplinary and include leading business men and women, investors, economists and academics with wide ranging knowledge of local, national and international perspectives. Our aim is for it to start work in spring 2018.
The December 2017 interim report on legislative consent from the Welsh Assembly’s External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee recommends “that the Assembly withhold its consent for the Bill in its current form” but notes that “this is an interim report and, should the Bill be amended, [the committee] will issue a further report.”
We continue to have positive discussions with the devolved administrations and legislatures to find an agreed approach to clause 11 of the Bill and we intend to bring forward amendments during the Bill’s Lords stages. We are committed to achieving legislative consent for this vital piece of legislation.
We recognise that the UK has obligations towards the EU, and the EU has obligations to the UK. An agreement on any financial settlement can only come as part of the settlement of all the issues mentioned in the Prime Minister’s Florence Speech. We are making clear progress in building a common technical understanding on every item.
The treatment of the European Union’s assets will need to be agreed as part of the negotiations.
The Government is committed to engagement with the devolved legislatures as we prepare to leave the EU. Ministers have appeared before several committees in the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales to give evidence on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill and the implications of exit for the devolved institutions. Parliamentary Under Secretary Robin Walker also attended the first meeting of the Interparliamentary Forum on Brexit last month.
The Government has been engaging with the devolved administrations throughout the negotiation process. At formal meetings where Government business is discussed, officials attend and minutes are prepared in line with usual practice. A list of ministerial meetings is published with each quarterly transparency return. We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the devolved administrations going forward as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
The Government has been engaging with the devolved administrations throughout the negotiation process. Ministers from the Department for Exiting the European Union have held discussions on six separate occasions with the Welsh government since the election to discuss the negotiations with the European Union and preparations for the UK’s future outside of the EU.
The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations, chaired by the First Secretary of State, was the latest opportunity for the devolved administrations to contribute to this process. Important progress was made. The Committee discussed priorities for the future relationship with the EU and agreed the principles that will underpin common UK frameworks.
As the Prime Minister has set out, as we leave the EU we are committed to securing a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom - for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and all parts of England.
We have been clear from the start that the devolved administrations should be fully engaged in this process. The First Secretary of State most recently chaired a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations with the devolved administrations on Monday 16 October to discuss matters, including the UK’s priorities for the next phase of negotiations.
We are committed to continued positive and productive engagement with the devolved administrations.
The government is committed to supporting credit unions, which provide vital services to financially under-served communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector. Over the last two financial years, the government has done this by:
Announcing at Autumn Budget 2017, that where a credit union’s membership conditions are based on locality, a credit union will be able to increase the number of potential members it can have to from 2 to 3 million. The legislation to make this change was laid in November 2017 and comes into force in April 2018.
Announcing at Autumn Statement 2016 that, from 2018, an existing scheme which incentivises credit union membership in communities at risk of being targeted by loan sharks, will be expanded. This uses funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act from convicted loan sharks.
Contributing £600,000 to an initiative developed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Young Enterprise, to start savings clubs in primary schools and educate young children in the benefits of saving. Lifesavers works with local credit unions to help run savings clubs with schoolchildren, and is currently being piloted in six primary schools.
Providing funding for the Credit Union Expansion Project, delivered by the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd. In 2017, three credit unions with a total membership of 16,500 began using an online banking platform provided by this project.
The government has not made a formal assessment of this kind.
The Bank for International Settlements publishes international comparisons of credit provision. In the latest figures from Q2 2017, total credit to the non-financial sector as a percentage of GDP was 281.0 in the UK, 345.2 in the Republic of Ireland, 296.0 in Canada, and 208.3 in New Zealand.