Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Leader, Elfyn Llwyd, noted the Wales Office is vital to the success of the Assembly and any cutback will be disastrous for the people of Wales.

Speaking in London Mr Llwyd said, "The Wales Office is presently central to the success of the Assembly. There is a strong case for scrapping the Scotland Office because its role has been limited by the strong Scottish Parliament which has law-making powers. Wales was denied that option, and is squeezed into London's political agenda. However, it is the Secretary of State for Wales who has to speak up for Wales when drawing up primary legislation in Wales. If that option is taken away from us, or if the relevant Secretary of State has to share his or her time with the other devolved nations, Wales will lose out. Only when Wales gains a full parliament with law-making powers should the Wales Office be abolished.

"It is a sad reflection of the Welsh group of Labour MPs that fifteen of them have failed to sign their own early day motions calling for the Wales Office to be saved."

"Putting Wales under Lord Falconer's control fills me with utter dismay, this is worse than eighteen years under the Tories when Wales was not represented by a Welsh MP, but at least we had an elected member who was answerable to the Commons. Furthermore, appointing a junior minister to be in charge of Welsh issues in government, including the need for Welsh legislation is an insult to Wales"

"The Wales Office was supposed to guarantee Wales' voice in government was heard, it will now be drowned out completely"

Notes:

In the foreword the Wales Office's Annual Report 2003, the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, writes:

"We [The Wales Office] exist to provide the link between Wales and Westminster and Whitehall - to represent Wales in Government, and the Government in Wales.

"... [the] crucial activities of the Wales Office ensure that the Assembly has the righ context, and the necessary resources, within which they can develop true 'made in Wales' policies and deliver quality services to the people of Wales."

Don Touhig said the following during the Welsh Grand Debate on 21 November 2002:

"Devolution is not about rivalry between the Government in London and the Assembly in Cardiff, it is ....about partnership between the Government and the Labour-led Assembly in Cardiff. The key to that relationship is the Wales Office."