Devolution: Wales

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Tuesday 28th February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Tankerness]

I hear the noble Lord and he may wish to make that point in the debate later.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

As regards the anomalies in relation to Welsh devolution and some of the problems arising from Scottish devolution, which we will be discussing at length later today, as well as the West Lothian question, on which the Government have set up a commission, would those matters not all be better dealt with if we were to look at the English dimension and devolution within or to England?

[Lord Wallace of Tankerness]

My Lords, I think that there has been some history of that, not least pioneered by the Government of whom the noble Lord was a member. I do not seem to remember that there was huge enthusiasm for it in the north-east of England, but it is still a very pertinent point and one which I am sure will be raised again in debates on this issue in the future.