10 November 2007

Paul Murphy speaks in House of Commons on Education Bill

Paul Murphy MP has today spoken in a House of Commons debate on Further Education.

Speaking in the debate, he stressed the need for co-operation between the Assembly and UK Governments in dealing with Welsh Aspects of FE, as in other areas. He also talked about the need for proper scrutiny of Welsh aspects of Bills such as the Further Education and Training Bill.

The full text of the speech appears below:

Paul Murphy (Torfaen): I rise to support the amendments, and to echo the words of my hon. Friend the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education and of the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) about the constructive and thoughtful debates in which I and others have taken part both in the House and in Committee. We have probably had a little too much theatre in the House this week, and this debate encapsulates the other aspect of our work, which is, when appropriate, to hold sensible discussions and find agreement whatever our party.

I shall briefly refer to the aspects of the amendments that deal with intervention in Wales and order-making powers for Welsh Ministers. From a Welsh point of view, the Bill has attracted much debate about the procedure for dealing with such amendments and other aspects of the Bill relating to Wales. I make two pleas to my hon. Friend the Minister. The first is to nurture the relationship between his Department and the Welsh Assembly Government. The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Jane Hutt, is a good Minister, and the relationship between the Assembly Government and the Westminster Government should be one of co-operation rather than confrontation.

My second plea relates to the way in which the House deals with amendments that affect Wales. I am still not convinced that there is good enough scrutiny of such amendments. There is a role for Members of Parliament representing Wales, whether in Committee or on the Floor of the House, that has not yet been properly exploited, so I hope that in the Minister's discussions with the Secretary of State and the usual channels we can improve the methods whereby we scrutinise such amendments.

There is another debate to be had about the fact that the political scene in Scotland and in Wales has changed dramatically—and, thereby, the relationship between the Government, the Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. However, I would be a most unpopular man were I to pursue that subject at present.

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