Committee chair tells MPs not to use parliamentary procedure in Welsh
The chair of a Westminster committee has told MPs not to use a parliamentary procedure in the Welsh language.
Geraint Davies, the Labour MP for Swansea West, said to members of the Welsh Grand Committee that they “may speak Welsh” but that they should make a point of order in English.
Welsh MPs met yesterday for a debate titled: “To consider the matter of Strengthening the Union as it relates to Wales”.
MPs were previously not allowed to make speeches in Welsh during Welsh Grand Debates. The rules were changed to allow speeches in Welsh in 2018.
A number of Welsh MPs took advantage of the rule change to make a speech in Welsh during the debate yesterday.
In a committee, a point of order can be raised if a member believes that a rule has been broken. The member can interrupt during a debate to do so, and the parliamentary procedure calls upon the chair to make a ruling on whether a rule has been broken or not.
The chair of the Welsh Grand Committee said: “It’s about 20 speakers so I’m going to ask people to be brief in the openings and to get some of the backbenchers and others in this morning as well as the front benches. Just bear that in mind. I do want to call everybody.
“I’ve no power though to impose any particular time limit, but as I say brief contributions would be appreciated by all I’m sure.
‘However’
He added: “Under the resolution of the House, 1st of March 2017 on St David’s Day, members of the committee may speak in Welsh. I ask however that points of order be made in English if that’s alright.
“Simultaneous interpretations available via the headsets that you should have been had and that will be on channel 12. Channel 2 in fact. Sorry. It keeps changing actually.
“Any speech that’s delivered in Welsh can be found in Hansard in both languages.”
It was the first Welsh Grand Committee to be held in Westminster since 2018.
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If that’s alright we’ll No it’s NOT
Get rid of the Welsh Grand Committee. It is nothing more than a pointless talking shop and waste of taxpayers money. All matters relating to Wales should be dealt with in the Senedd.
It was created because Wales is a nation but had no power in case Wales acted like a nation. It is largely redundant since the creation of the Senedd hence it not meeting for 4 years
Geraint Davies should be promoting not prohibiting.
I recall the days the Tories used to pack out the committee with MP’s from England and Scotland just to ensure they had a majority. How anyone thinks “Westminster knows best” is beyond me.
Just kick all English party’s out of wales 🏴 stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh
Well said Grayham- I was worried you had missed this one. A total hot 🥵 wind left over of a pre devolution Wales wrap around. Doesn’t even do what it says on the tin !
The WGC as my old mentor Lord Merlyn Rees used to tell me was neither Welsh or Grand or indeed a Committee of anything !
This hang over of the last century needs to be put the bed asp 🥺