Tom Griffin (London, The Green Ribbon): The Welsh Assembly Government marked the first anniversary of the Labour-Plaid Cymru One Wales Agreement today by announcing new details of the Commision that will look at the principality's tax and spending arrangements.
The Commission will look at Wales' spending allocation under the Barnett Formula in its first phase, before moving on to consider tax-varying and borrowing powers.
The Commission will be a small expert panel. It is expected to begin work in September and report back to Ministers with an interim report on Phase 1 of the work by the summer of 2009. The interim report would be published and debated in the Assembly prior to undertaking more detailed work towards the end of the year.
It is expected that the Commission’s work will run in parallel with the Calman Commission in Scotland and that both Commissions would be able to liaise over their respective work programmes and, where relevant and appropriate, share research papers.
The Commission will be chaired by Aberdare-born economist and fund manager Gerald Holtham. His colleagues will be appointed in September.
