TORY DINOSAURS TRY TO BLOCK WELSH POWERS…AGAIN - WILLIAMS

3.46.45pm GMT Mon 27th Oct 2008

Speaking after the Conservatives moved an amendment to the Local Transport Bill which would deny the National Assembly the ability to introduce charges on trunk roads, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Roger Williams MP has slammed their attempts to 'rewrite the Government of Wales Act'.

The amendment would remove from the Bill the framework power that would allow the Welsh Assembly Government to introduce charging on trunk roads.

Earlier this year the Conservatives attempted to remove framework powers that gave the Assembly the power to co-ordinate the Wales spatial plan with plans made by local authorities.

The amendment is expected to be debated later this afternoon.

Commenting Roger Williams said:

"This amendment shows that the Tories just don't get devolution. Just because they don't like a policy doesn't mean that the Assembly shouldn't be the ones making the decision.

"We wouldn't have any plans to use this power in Wales, but it should be up to the Assembly to make that decision, not the Tory dinosaurs in Westminster.

"Nick Bourne wants the Assembly to have full law-making powers, but his colleagues in London don't even want Wales to have the meagre powers we have under the devolution settlement. He should pick up the phone and ask them what they're playing at.

"If the Conservatives want to rewrite the Government of Wales Act they should have the decency to be honest about it, not try and block the powers that the Assembly is reasonably entitled to by stealth."

Notes:

Conservative amendment and Clause 115 to which it refers are below:

Stephen Hammond

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Jeremy Wright

Page 89, line 18, leave out Clause 115.

Part 7

Miscellaneous provisions

Trunk road charging schemes in Wales

Powers of the National Assembly for Wales In Part 1 of Schedule 5 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) (Assembly Measures), in field 10 (highways and transport) insert- "Matter 10.1

Provision for and in connection with-

(a) the making, operation and enforcement of schemes for imposing charges in respect of the use or keeping of motor vehicles on Welsh trunk roads;he application of the proceeds of charges imposed under such schemes towards purposes relating to transport.

This does not include provision about traffic signs, apart from provision about the placing and maintenance of traffic signs within the meaning of section 177 of the Transport Act 2000.

Interpretation of this field

In this field- "motor vehicle" has the meaning given in section 185(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, except that section 189 of that Act (exception for certain pedestrian controlled vehicles and electrically assisted pedal cycles) applies as it applies for the purposes of the Road Traffic Acts;"road" has the same meaning as in the Road Traffic

Regulation Act 1984;

"Welsh trunk road" means a road for which the Welsh Ministers are the traffic authority (within the meaning of section 121A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984)."