A headache for Nick Bourne?

Posted on This is My Truth on 28 January


Cheryl Gillian has begun to carry out her pledge to appoint a Minister for Wales in every shadow departmental team.

The Western Mail reports today that Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper is the first. If the Tories win "Each department would have a minister with a specific duty to ensure Wales is not inadvertently left out of key legislation", the paper reports.

On top of a Conservative dominated Welsh Affairs Select Committee, and Dame Cheryl herself, every Whitehall Ministry is to have a Junior Minister with licence to meddle in devolution.

I am sure the ex-pat future Welsh Secretary means well. “It places the interests of Wales at the heart of every government department” she told the paper. But it could easily get out of hand.

At the moment the chief frustration is a disinterested Whitehall machine and a Welsh Select Committee eager to use their oversight powers. But we could have idle hands getting in on the act.

Surely if you invite a Minister to have a role in deciding which powers should be devolved they will exercise that right?

Has this one been properly thought through...?

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