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| Wales Bill needs significant changes, Stephen Crabb says | Wales Bill needs significant changes, Stephen Crabb says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said he will make "significant changes" to his plans for further devolution after MPs called for a re-think. | Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said he will make "significant changes" to his plans for further devolution after MPs called for a re-think. |
| It follows claims that the draft Wales Bill was confusing, and would leave Welsh ministers with fewer powers. | It follows claims that the draft Wales Bill was confusing, and would leave Welsh ministers with fewer powers. |
| The bill will be delayed until summer to allow time for changes, Mr Crabb said. | |
| But First Minister Carwyn Jones called it an "avoidable delay to clear up an avoidable mess". | |
| Mr Crabb said he would shorten the list of powers kept back by Westminster, cut red tape over new laws, and better reflect Wales in the legal system. | Mr Crabb said he would shorten the list of powers kept back by Westminster, cut red tape over new laws, and better reflect Wales in the legal system. |
| The new legislation is supposed to settle constitutional wrangling by making clear which powers were to be devolved and which not. | The new legislation is supposed to settle constitutional wrangling by making clear which powers were to be devolved and which not. |
| It includes areas such as energy, transport and elections. | It includes areas such as energy, transport and elections. |
| 'Pause needed' | 'Pause needed' |
| But Welsh ministers have criticised the draft Wales Bill, saying some aspects of it would see them with fewer powers. | But Welsh ministers have criticised the draft Wales Bill, saying some aspects of it would see them with fewer powers. |
| A report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, published on Sunday, called for a "pause" in the process. | A report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, published on Sunday, called for a "pause" in the process. |
| The MPs said a proposed list of powers that are not devolved needed a re-think, with Whitehall departments forced to give a clearer reason why some issues should not be handed over to Cardiff Bay. | The MPs said a proposed list of powers that are not devolved needed a re-think, with Whitehall departments forced to give a clearer reason why some issues should not be handed over to Cardiff Bay. |
| Responding to the report on Monday, Mr Crabb said: "It's become clear to me that there are some areas of the bill where we need to make significant and substantial changes." | Responding to the report on Monday, Mr Crabb said: "It's become clear to me that there are some areas of the bill where we need to make significant and substantial changes." |
| He said he would scrap the so-called "necessity test" which Welsh ministers would have had to consider before passing any laws. | He said he would scrap the so-called "necessity test" which Welsh ministers would have had to consider before passing any laws. |
| The Welsh secretary said he would also limit the need for them to check permission with the UK government before passing certain laws - what Mr Jones had described as an "English veto". | |
| It was "never the intention of this bill to increase constitutional red tape", Mr Crabb said. | |
| A working group will also be set up to look at whether distinct arrangements are needed for Welsh law, without setting up a separate legal system to that shared with England. | A working group will also be set up to look at whether distinct arrangements are needed for Welsh law, without setting up a separate legal system to that shared with England. |
| The final version of the bill - due in February - will not be published until May at the earliest. | The final version of the bill - due in February - will not be published until May at the earliest. |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "Let's be clear, this is an avoidable delay to clear up an avoidable mess. | |
| "The UK Government need to get into the habit of treating Wales and the National Assembly for Wales with proper respect. | |
| "We now have the opportunity, if the will is truly there, to repair the damage done by a flawed process and produce a genuinely meaningful piece of legislation." | |
| Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: "A pause in this process is the right decision. | |
| "The Wales Bill has the opportunity to finally put right mistakes of the past with regards to Wales' devolution settlement. | |
| "However, the draft bill was seriously flawed and not in any fit state to move forward." |