Introduction
1. This report is the fifth annual report from the
Welsh Affairs Committee to the House and covers the work of the
Committee during 2004.[1]
2. In June 2002 the Chairman of the Liaison Committee
wrote to all committees setting out its guidance on committee
objectives and core tasks, with the intention that those core
tasks be reflected in Committees' Annual Reports.[2]
In 2003, a number of Committees set out their achievements against
those common objectives and core tasks in tabular form. The Liaison
Committee welcomed that approach and encouraged other committees
to adopt that practice.[3]
3. The Welsh Affairs Committee has a role that differs
from that of many Departmental Select Committees. While our role
is to scrutinise the Wales Office, that Department does not carry
out the functions of a traditional department. It is a "small
policy department",[4]
with few executive functions.[5]
In the Foreword to the Wales Office Annual Report 2003, the Secretary
of State for Wales explained that the primary function of the
Wales Office was to "provide the link between Wales and Westminster
and "Whitehall [and] to represent Wales in the Government
and the Government in Wales".[6]
Therefore many of the core objectives set out by the Liaison Committee
are not applicable to the Welsh Affairs Committee. For example,
the Wales Office does not have responsibility of any public bodies
or agencies, it does not oversee major appointments and its public
service agreements come under the Department of Constitutional
Affairs. However, we do have an important role to play in providing
a link between the UK Government and the National Assembly for
Wales. That role is reflected in our Standing Orders which are
to scrutinise the expenditure, administration and policy of the
Wales Office (including relations with the National Assembly for
Wales).[7]
4. That difference was acknowledged by the Liaison
Committee which stated that "For understandable reasons,
not all committees' work falls neatly within the core tasks".[8]
Where they do apply, we have followed the guidance set out by
the Liaison Committee and have produced the recommended tables
to reflect our activities in 2004.[9]
1 The first annual report (First Special Report of
the Welsh Affairs Committee, The Work of the Committee Since
Devolution , HC 81 of Session 2000-2001) was published on
21 December 2000. The second annual report (published as Appendix
T to the First Report from the Liaison Committee, Work of Select
Committees 2001, HC590 of Session 2001-02) was published on
7 February 2002. The third annual report (Third Report of the
Welsh Affairs Committee, Work of the Committee in 2002,
HC263 of Session 2002-03) was published on 6 February 2003. The
fourth annual report (Second Report of the Welsh Affairs Committee,
Work of the Committee in 2003, HC178 of Session 2003-04)
was published on 17 February 2004. Back
2
First Report from the Liaison Committee, Annual Report for
2003, HC446 of Session 2003-04, Para 5. Back
3
ibid., Para 8. Back
4
www.walesoffice.gov.uk Back
5
Third Report of the Welsh Affairs Committee, Work of the Select
Committee in 2002, HC263 of Session 2002-03, Para 2. Back
6
Wales Office Annual Report 2003, Foreword. Back
7
Standing Order 152 Back
8
Third Report of the Welsh Affairs Committee, Work of the Select
Committee in 2002, HC263 of Session 2002-03, Para 9. Back
9
See Annexes 1-3. Back
|
