Government of Wales Bill

I, too, wish to add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs. Gillan), and to express my sympathy for the families of Lord Merlyn-Rees and Lord Stratford. I did not have the honour of serving with them in this place, but I have met both of them. On the last occasion on which I spoke to Lord Merlyn-Rees he was very elderly, but very erudite and knowledgeable about the ways of the other place. I learnt much from him. I welcome the Bill and fully endorse its three main aims of enhancing the legislative powers of the Assembly, ending the confusing corporate status of the Assembly and addressing the issue of dual candidacy. We have heard much about the latter today, but I want to address a positive aspect of the Bill. I am a committed devolutionist. My first vote as a young mother was in the 1979 referendum. I was so excited about that vote and so disappointed that we did not achieve devolution for Wales. But we stuck with it and, eventually, the Labour party delivered it. We are the real party of devolution. We can make this a workable Bill and we must take this next logical step on the journey. We are halfway there and we must complete it in the fullness of time. I have no concern about that. We must take things slowly and at a pace people understand. The provision for a referendum is important, as is the way in which it is triggered. We must take the doubts and concerns of constituents into consideration. Several hon. Members have claimed today that it is not an issue in their constituencies, but it is in mine. People are confused about what is happening, both at Westminster and in the Assembly. I spend much time explaining my role and that of Val Lloyd, the Assembly Member for Swansea, but then we reach the inevitable question—““Well, who are the other lot?”” Then I become a walking, talking advertisement for the regional list Members, because I have to explain who they are and the region they represent. That is where things go a little fuzzy and confusing. When one tries to explain the regionality of it and the roles and responsibilities of regional list Members, people are confused.