The deal...
Breaking lines from the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition agreement, hot off the press...
The new administration will "offer" a referendum on further Welsh devolution. Fair to say the answer will be yes please - the question, of course, is when.
A commission to consider the West Lothian Question - or English votes for English laws. Given the geographical distribution of party support across the UK at the election, this is a useful marker for the Tory backbenches in particular.
Nuclear - early indications were that an "agree to disagree" position between the parties, coupled with the appointment of nuclear-sceptic Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne as Secretary of State for Energy and Environment led to concerns that the future of Wylfa B might be in jeopardy. The pro-nuclear lobby can breathe a little easier - agree to disagree turns out to mean that the Lib Dems will abstain on the key planning legislation to enable the new generation of nuclear stations - which means the Tories should be able to get it passed.
Spending - "modest cuts of Β£6bn to non front line services within the financial year 2010-11" subject to advice from the Treasury and the Bank of England on their feasibility and advisability. Plaid Cymru suggested earlier today the Welsh proportion of these cuts could come to Β£220m - we'll have to wait until the Emergency Budget due in June to find out for sure.
Funding for the NHS should increase in real terms each year of the Parliament - can only be good news for the Welsh block.
Fixed term parliaments of five years - this, as has already been pointed out elsewhere, puts the next General election in the same month as the Assembly election AFTER next, or May 2015. That seems a long way off at this stage however...
I'm Betsan Powys, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
Comments
or to comment.