That LCO

David Cornock reminds us of what Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy had to say about the LCO on housing last year:

"I think that the LCO that deals with the ending of the sale of council houses will produce controversy. For the past two decades in Wales, the fact that houses have been sold by local authorities has meant that people in Wales, by becoming home owners, have improved their lot.

"There are areas of housing need that we must be careful about, and the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy touched on one or two of those issues today. However, a warning shot should be sent by those of us who represent constituencies that have traditionally contained a large proportion of council houses."

Yesterday he limited himself to saying this:

"I am pleased to inform the House that the proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Housing) Order has been laid today, as Command Paper (7379). Copies of this can be found in the Vote Office and will be placed in the Library from 12 noon. I have written to the Chairmen of the Welsh Affairs Committee and the House of Lords Constitutional Committee to request they undertake pre-legislative scrutiny."