Call to look at increasing AMs to 80

Jan 14 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

THE former top diplomat who will chair a convention aimed at ensuring the conditions are right for a new devolution referendum wants the body to examine whether there should be an increase in the number of AMs from 60 to 80, it has been disclosed today.

Sir Emyr Jones Parry, the former UK Ambassador to the United Nations, also wants to consider the possibility of changing the voting system under which AMs are elected.

The diplomat’s proposals are likely to provoke strong disagreement from some Labour MPs.

A report published today by John Osmond, director of the Institute for Welsh Affairs, reveals that Sir Emyr wrote a note to members of the joint Labour-Plaid Cymru committee that will write the terms of reference for the All-Wales convention late last month.

In the note, says the report, Sir Emyr “drew attention to the need to explore capacity issues around the Assembly’s current operation and the implications of moving towards full legislative powers.

“He also said the convention should take account of the inter-relationship between the numbers of AMs and MPs and the implications for voting methods”.

The all-party Richard Commission, which reported in 2004, recommended that the National Assembly should get full legislative powers, that the number of AMs should increase to 80, and that all AMs should be selected by Single Transferable Vote (STV).

None of these recommendations were implemented by the Labour Party. Full lawmaking powers would only be brought in after approval in a referendum. Labour ruled out increasing the number of AMs and rejected any move to STV. Mr Osmond said it was envisaged that an establishing committee, made up of an equal number of AMs and MPs from Labour and Plaid, would propose, and perhaps nominate, a convention steering group of 12-15 people.

In turn, the steering group will be advised by a wider network of panels representing interest groups, such as the health service, farmers, teachers, small businesses and so on. In addition, there may be a “citizen’s jury” along the lines of the BBC Wales 60 group that paralleled the membership of the National Assembly in the run-up to last year’s election.

Mr Osmond added, “It was accepted in Scotland that there would need to be a reduction in the number of Scottish MPs after the first term of the Scottish Parliament. Yet in Wales there has been a refusal to contemplate that.

“When the Assembly gains primary legislative powers, there will be the need for more AMs to perform the essential scrutiny role. That could be combined with a reduction in the number of MPs going to Westminster from Wales, possibly from 40 to 32.”