Issue 4—December 2007 Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad

On the agenda this month:

All‐ Convention Taking Shape Greater powers for the Assembly to be discussed

Welsh Politician of the Year Awards Christmas comes early for one Welsh politican

No Child Kept Behind Are we doing enough to help the most able?

A speech too far?

And why is this man smiling?

...Find out inside.

Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad is a joint initiative between Grayling and the Institute of Welsh Affairs, bringing you the ABC of Welsh politics every month. We would be pleased to receive your feedback:

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Issue 4 — December 2007

ALL‐WALES CONVENTIONARTICLE 1 TAKING SHAPE

Grayling Political Strategy Emyr appeared in a television interview to back fur‐ ther powers, saying that it was ‘incongruous’ that On 17 December the Steering Committee of the All‐ Scotland had full parliamentary devolution but Wales Wales Convention will meet for the first time in Lon‐ did not. First Minister, , however, has don. This, as Assembly Bwletin Cynulliad covered in the emphasised that the former diplomat will not be in‐ last issue, will be the forum that will assess over the volved in the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote, as Labour and next few years whether or not the Welsh Assembly is will be. ready for a referendum on full, Scottish‐style parlia‐ mentary powers. The convention will be chaired by With relations between Westminster and Cardiff Bay Burry Port‐born Sir Emyr Jones Parry, former UK Am‐ already tense from teething problems experienced by bassador to the United Nations (and, before that, to the Legislative Competence Order process of devolv‐ Nato). The Steering Committee itself will be made up ing further powers from Parliament to Assembly, it of four Labour MPs, three Plaid Cymru MPs, four La‐ will be interesting to see how the relationships within bour AMs, four Plaid AMs, and Plaid’s former Ceredi‐ the convention’s Steering Committee pan out. Sir gion MP , whom some commentators are Emyr has said that he intends to produce a report on tipping for a peerage now that the party has formally the viability of a Welsh Parliament by the end of 2009. ended its ban upon members entering the House of In the meantime, he said, he wants ‘the widest public Lords. Membership of the Steering Committee is as involvement’ with the convention’s work. The first follows: task, however, will be for him and his political col‐ leagues on the Steering Committee to determine the Labour Plaid Cymru convention’s size and make‐up. Many prominent peo‐ ple, on both sides of the devolutionary fence, will have Nick Ainger MP MP plenty to say about that. MP MP Ian Lucus MP MP The convention is a crucial part of the coali‐ MP AM tion commitment to hold a referendum on full parlia‐ AM AM mentary powers for the Assembly by 2011. So far the Jeff Cuthbert AM AM Assembly Government has been relatively vague AM Dai Lloyd AM about the convention’s actual duties, other than AM Cynog Dafis ‘taking evidence…and exploring how to engage with civil society throughout Wales’. The Steering Commit‐ While it is now ready to start business, the conven‐ tee, meanwhile, will set the timetable, framework and tion’s fledgling days have not been without problems. terms of reference for the convention, beginning with Firstly, Labour MP , who opposed his its first meeting. It will have to strike a balance be‐ party’s agreement of a coalition deal with Plaid in the tween appearing too elitist and of the crachach (Welsh‐ Assembly, criticised the decision to appoint Sir Emyr, speaking elite) on one hand, and looking like an ex‐ saying that he would have preferred someone who pensive, publicly‐funded gravy train on the other. ‘lives in, and pays taxes in, Wales’ to take on the job. The career diplomat, he said, would probably ‘need a Coming soon… sat‐nav’ to find his way around Wales. To this, Sir Emyr responded that ‘anybody who tells me I need a Assembly to : the Convention and the Move to sat‐nav, I’ll compete with them in a rally around Primary Power Wales without a map’. Spring 2008 Speakers include: Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Rt Rev Dr Furthermore, Conservative MP David Davies, former Barry Morgan and John Osmond. AM and prominent devolution critic, slammed the convention as a ‘publicly‐funded yes campaign’ and Contact the IWA for more details: questioned its neutrality in any future public debate [email protected] or 029 2066 6606. on further powers for the Assembly. His reservations seemed to be fuelled several weeks later when Sir

Issue 4 — December 2007

ITV AND BBC WELSHARTICLE POLITICIAN 1 AWARDS, 2007

Grayling Political Strategy Year, meanwhile, was Councillor , the Liberal Democrat leader of County Bor‐ The evening of 11 December saw ITV Wales’ annual ough Council. The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ political gong‐fest take place at Cardiff’s elegant City went to Lord (Wyn) Roberts of Conwy, a Conserva‐ Hall. The award categories, and this year’s winners, tive peer and tireless proponent who were: served as a Welsh Office Minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. It is generally agreed that Welsh Politician of the Year – Lord Roberts was a major influence on the Tory Gov‐ AM ernment’s decision to create in 1982 and intro‐ Welsh MP of the Year – Kim Howells MP duce the Welsh Language Act 1993. Welsh AM of the Year – Helen Mary Jones AM

‘One to Watch’ for 2008 – AM Memorable, also, was Welsh Secretary Peter Hain’s Campaigner of the Year – John Smith MP guest speech. BBC Wales’ Betsan Powys described it Local Politician of the Year – Cllr Aled Roberts ‘as though a man with his back to the wall had de‐ Lifetime Achievement Award – Lord Roberts of cided to spray the whole room with bullets’. Lib Dem Conwy AM Peter Black, meanwhile, said it was ‘one of the As expected, Ieuan Wyn Jones was named Welsh most misjudged keynote speeches I have ever heard’, Politician of the Year after leading his party into coali‐ criticising Mr Hain as ‘partisan and personal’ in a tion government with Labour in the Assembly. He ‘series of lame and outdated jokes about the winners’. concluded the deal after forsaking the chance to be‐ Mr Hain’s speech certainly did draw gasps from the come First Minister in a ‘rainbow coalition’ govern‐ crowd, particularly when he labelled Plaid MP Adam ment with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Price and Western Mail chief reporter Martin Shipton Outspoken Labour MP Kim Howells, a Foreign Office the ‘Laurel and Hardy of Welsh Politics’ and said that Minister with a special remit in Middle East Affairs, in his opinion former Tory AM was was named MP of the Year. A prominent critic of the in fact the ‘One to Watch’ rather than Ms Burns. Labour‐Plaid Cymru coalition in the Assembly, Mr Howells was awarded for his efforts to broker a peace The Awards closely followed last week’s BBC Wales deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in am.pm Awards, where the winners were: the ongoing Middle East conflict. Politician of the Year – Ieuan Wyn Jones AM Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones was named AM of the Year, Newcomer of the Year – Alun Davies AM after successfully recapturing the constitu‐ Communicator of the Year – Adam Price MP ency from Labour and then emerging as an opponent Campaigner of the Year – MP and of the ‘rainbow coalition’ as it would involve entering AM a deal with the Tories. Rounding off an excellent year Most Outspoken – Don Touhig MP Ms Jones was recently awarded the chance to intro‐ duce a legislative competence order (LCO) to devolve powers over the introduction of carer information Notably, Rhondda’s MP Chris Bryant, and AM packs. The ‘One to Watch’ for 2008 was the Tories’ Leighton Andrews, were jointly awarded Cam‐ Angela Burns, only elected in May but who has al‐ paigner of the Year for their efforts to save the Bur‐ ready impressed in her intense scrutiny of the coali‐ berry factory in Treorchy. Though ultimately unsuc‐ tion budget as Shadow Finance Minister. cessful in trying to keep the factory open, they were able to secure some concessions from the company Campaigner of the Year was Labour MP John Smith, before it moved production overseas. who has campaigned intensively in his Vale of Gla‐ morgan constituency to win the contract for the Min‐ So, with the gongs duly distributed, and Assembly istry of Defence’s Training Academy to be located at proceedings wrapping up for the festive season until RAF St Athan. With the contract won in January of 13 January 2008, we await the members’ return to this year, Mr Smith has since tirelessly promoted its business as usual in the political bubble of Cardiff benefits to the Welsh public. Local Politician of the Bay…

Issue 4 — December 2007

NO CHILDARTICLE KEPT 1BEHIND

Nick Morris, Institute of Welsh Affairs Most higher value added jobs tend to be populated, of course, by well‐educated people. A recent report for the Assembly, the Levels of Highest Qualification Among the popular Christmas traditions it seems that held by Working Age Adults in Wales, 2006 analysed the winter is also the time of year to criticise workforce connections between qualifications and Welsh lan‐ skills in Wales. Last December the Leitch Report high‐ guage ability. The statistics show that a greater pro‐ lighted the need to improve the UK’s skill base. This portion of Welsh speakers compared to non‐Welsh year’s unwelcome present is a recent OECD speakers are qualified at each National Qualifications (Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Devel‐ Framework level, from a single A‐Level up to higher opment) report that ranks 15 year olds in Wales 28th degree level (and their equivalents). Also, around a for reading skills and 34th for mathematics, out of 47 third of people who can read, speak, understand or write Welsh hold a degree level qualification, com‐ countries. Such reports, though difficult, rightly re‐ pared to the Wales average of just more than a quar‐ mind Wales to compare itself internationally, to do ter. more than merely peer over the border for ideas. This does not necessarily mean that speaking Welsh What can Wales learn from Europe? In fact only one makes people more intelligent, though there are bene‐ European country – Finland – is in the OECD sur‐ fits to being bilingual in any languages. It does show, vey’s top 4 (in both reading and maths). The country however, that Welsh speakers have a greater ten‐ is widely acknowledged as a world leader in knowl‐ dency than non‐Welsh speakers to pursue qualifica‐ edge use and innovation. Wales’s lack of an entrepre‐ tions, and quite possibly have greater inclinations to neurial streak has been identified time and time learn and compete. In Britain as a whole the regard again. Would Welsh university students have for languages other than English is very low. A sur‐ founded hugely successful websites, such as Face‐ vey of small business managers in 2002 by accounting book and Google? These were formed by American firm Grant Thornton found that only 29 per cent of college students between (and perhaps during) their British executives could close a deal in a foreign lan‐ classes. The OECD cites two main reasons for Wales’s guage. In second place at 84 per cent (just one per low performance. The first is low aspiration levels. At cent behind first place) were the small business ex‐ its root the entrepreneurial problem is not so much ecutives in Finland. We should be hesitant, therefore, lack of knowledge – successful websites are usually to ascribe the lower educational standards to the fairly straightforward in their concept and execution ‘distraction’ of a language other than English. – but that Wales is usually seen as a receiver rather than creators of jobs, that its ambitions are too low. The Assembly Government’s education minister, , has said: “My overarching priority is to secure New jobs and businesses arriving in Wales are rightly better outcomes for all learners.” In practice the edu‐ celebrated but often tend to be judged only by the cation system aims towards equality. It concentrates volume of jobs created and short‐term, headline‐ on ensuring all learners reach satisfactory perform‐ making cash injections rather than their longer lasting ance levels and ensuring young people do not leave true value to the Welsh economy. The OECD report’s the education system with no qualifications at all. second cause for Wales’s low attainment spread, in These are not by any means invalid goals but to be mathematics at least, is “the relatively low number of truly competitive the education system and economy high achievers”. This problem is also mirrored in the must also have ways to help – and possibly even Welsh economy, where high value added jobs and identify – the people who will excel beyond their sectors (those whose outputs are significantly larger peers. than their inputs), are lacking in number.