When the Minister concludes the discussions, hon. Members will be involved. We will certainly try to ensure that the figures in question will be made available.
We will be aware of the funding stream that will be made available to the Welsh Government. The expectation is that in view of the number of companies in the UK when compared with the number of companies in Wales as a percentage, Wales will do comparatively well out of any UK-wide settlement, rather than having a devolved response as indicated by the amendment. The expectation is that the discussions between the Welsh Government and the Treasury will be positive. We will be more than willing to provide figures on the support provided to the Welsh Government in relation to the levy.
New clause 11 seeks to introduce a statutory duty for the Government to keep policing in Wales under review. It is intended that the duty should include keeping under review the question of whether policing in Wales should be devolved to the Assembly and the Welsh Government, and would require the Government to provide the Welsh Ministers with an annual report on this matter. I cannot support the proposal. The delivery of an efficient and effective police service to the people of Wales must be our first priority, and we should be very wary of anything that distracts from that. I have serious concerns that the introduction of a statutory requirement to keep this matter under review and to produce an annual report would be just such a distraction that would have a destabilising effect on policing in Wales.
The Silk commission recommendation to devolve policing was considered as part of the St David’s Day process and there was no consensus to take it forward. I remind hon. Members that policing in Wales has already been localised. Everyone in Wales has a direct say in policing in their area through their locally elected and accountable police and crime commissioners. I remind the House that two of them are members of Plaid and two of them are members of Labour, so it cannot be argued that the localisation of the decision to elect PCCs has benefited the Conservatives.
The current England and Wales-wide arrangements for policing work well and the proponents of devolution have failed to adequately address the significant risks that would arise if those arrangements were disrupted. Should circumstances significantly change, I would expect there to be further consideration of this matter. However, in my view new clause 11, which would have the effect of keeping this matter under perpetual review no matter what the circumstances, is unnecessary; indeed, I think it would be counterproductive.
8.15 pm
Finally, through amendments number 70 to 82, the hon. Member for Newport West (Paul Flynn) seeks to reopen an important part of the St David’s Day agreement, and a key recommendation of the Silk commission in relation to the future consenting of electricity generation projects in Wales. As I have already said, the Bill gives effect to the political consensus around the devolution of new powers over energy consents. That political consensus was firmly embedded in respect of the fact that Wales and England are, and will remain, linked through a common electricity transmission system that depends on the inputs from a broad range of generating sources. The Government remain firmly of the view that the larger the capacity of those sources, the greater their significance beyond Wales and to the UK as a whole. Consensus was reached around 350 MW being the appropriate threshold, and the Government believe that should remain the case.
I believe I have explained clearly why I cannot support the Opposition proposals put forward today. On that basis, I urge right hon. and hon. Members to withdraw their amendments.