Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

The noble Lord always has my respect for his defence and promotion of all things Welsh, but can he contemplate the situation prior to the Bill? Does he feel that, left alone, the National Assembly for Wales would, of its own volition, have taken some of the steps that could be initiated by the Bill? He may have point that there is a better place for the people of Wales to be as well served by legislation. It is government once removed if the initiative has to be taken here. However, we do not want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It is no good simply deleting Wales and leaving it unencumbered by any responsibility to do the kind of things that the Bill requires. I am intrigued by what the Minister might say. In his reply, will the noble Lord indicate to us that he has in mind, or even knows, that there are moves afoot in Cardiff to do for the people of Wales precisely that which would have been done for them if Wales had been left in the Bill?