Nations and Regions: the Dynamics of Devolution
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Nations and Regions: The Dynamics of Devolution Quarterly Monitoring Programme Wales Quarterly Report November 2002 The monitoring programme is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust DRAGON TAKES A DIFFERENT ROUTE Monitoring Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru The National Assembly for Wales September to December 2002 Edited By John Osmond In association with: December 2002 CONTENTS SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................................1 1. THE ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT ................................................................................................2 JOHN OSMOND AND NIA RICHARDSON, IWA DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY ................................................................................................... 2 CAUTION ON PFI ..................................................................................................................... 3 HEALTH SERVICE REORGANISATION ......................................................................................... 7 WANLESS TO REVIEW HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ..................................................................... 9 LANGUAGE ACTION PLAN ....................................................................................................... 10 LEARNING PATHWAYS FOR 14-19 EDUCATION ........................................................................ 12 ELWA MANAGEMENT SHAKE-UP ............................................................................................ 14 WALES INTERNATIONAL CENTRES .......................................................................................... 16 NEW SCHEME TO PROMOTE OPEN GOVERNMENT ................................................................... 17 2. THE ASSEMBLY.............................................................................................................................19 JOHN OSMOND AND NIA RICHARDSON, IWA RICHARD COMMISSION .......................................................................................................... 19 FIRST MINISTER’S ANNUAL REPORT ....................................................................................... 23 HEALTH DEBATES.................................................................................................................. 24 MELDING RESIGNS AS CHAIR OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE ................................................ 25 ASSEMBLY CHAMBER DELAYED BEYOND MAY ELECTION......................................................... 27 3. FINANCE..........................................................................................................................................29 ADRIAN KAY, UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL UNDER-SPEND....................................................................................................................... 30 SIZE OF THE RESERVE ........................................................................................................... 30 FUTURE DIRECTION OF HEALTH SPENDING ............................................................................. 31 4. POLICY DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................32 NIA RICHARDSON, IWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................................... 32 STRUCTURAL FUNDS ............................................................................................................. 33 RURAL DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................... 34 HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES.............................................................................................. 34 EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................... 35 CULTURE .............................................................................................................................. 36 LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES................................................................ 36 ENVIRONMENT....................................................................................................................... 37 PLANNING ............................................................................................................................. 38 TRANSPORT .......................................................................................................................... 38 5. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS....................................................................................................39 JANE WILLIAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF WALES, SWANSEA 2002 EDUCATION ACT ........................................................................................................... 39 PRE-LEGISLATIVE SCRUTINY: MODERNISATION COMMITTEE REPORT ....................................... 40 DRAFT MENTAL HEALTH BILL ................................................................................................. 41 REVIEW AND REFORM............................................................................................................ 42 6. RELATIONS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT...........................................................................44 ALYS THOMAS UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL ..................................................................................................... 44 WALES PROGRAMME OF IMPROVEMENT.................................................................................. 45 7. RELATIONS WITH WESTMINSTER AND WHITEHALL......................................................46 MARK LANG, WELSH GOVERNANCE CENTRE, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY NEW SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WALES ................................................................................ 46 QUEEN’S SPEECH.................................................................................................................. 47 8. RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION .........................................................................48 MARK LANG, WELSH GOVERNANCE CENTRE, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY REGIONS AND THE CONVENTION ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE ................................................. 48 STRUCTURAL FUNDS MID TERM REVIEW ................................................................................ 49 WALES EUROPEAN CENTRE ................................................................................................... 49 LINKS WITH SILESIA ............................................................................................................... 50 9. PUBLIC ATTITUDES.....................................................................................................................51 DENIS BALSOM, EDITOR WALES YEARBOOK ........................................................................... 51 10. POLITICAL PARTIES .................................................................................................................54 GERALD TAYLOR, UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN CONFERENCE SEASON .......................................................................................................... 54 COALITION DEBATES.............................................................................................................. 54 ROD RICHARDS RESIGNS....................................................................................................... 55 CANDIDATE SELECTIONS........................................................................................................ 55 POLICIES............................................................................................................................... 57 MERTHYR BY-ELECTION......................................................................................................... 58 11. PRESS AND THE MEDIA............................................................................................................59 NIA RICHARDSON, IWA IMAGE PROBLEMS.................................................................................................................. 59 HEALTH SERVICE................................................................................................................... 59 MIKE GERMAN SAGA ............................................................................................................. 61 ‘KING RHODRI’....................................................................................................................... 61 Dragon Takes a Different Route: Monitoring the National Assembly September to December 2002 SUMMARY Following the Queens Speech in November, First Minister Rhodri Morgan distanced himself from the notion of Foundation hospitals, making it clear that the ‘consumerist’ agenda being pursued by the government in England had little relevance in Wales. As he put it, “We are neither going down the foundation hospital route nor the top-up fees route. We are still for universal provision rather than a variation of provision.” Morgan forecast that divergences between Cardiff and London on such issues would widen over the years: “That is what devolution is all about,” he said. In this he was echoing an acknowledgement made by Prime Minister Blair a month earlier at the Blackpool Labour Conference. Differences between public services in the two countries were the inevitable result of devolution, Blair declared: “I agree with him [Rhodri Morgan] that the Welsh health service and schools are matters