The Welsh Budget Minister today announced a review of tax and public funding for the Assembly:
The funding review announcement came during a debate on a Lib Dem motion calling for an independent commission to investigate issues relating to the funding and financial powers of the assembly government.
Ms Hutt responded to the call by saying: "We’ve concluded that the time has now come to put in place such an independent commission and I think the commission which we intend to appoint will not only review assembly funding and finance.
"But it will go further than that. It will also consider tax-varying powers including corporation tax… and importantly, borrowing powers.
"It’s well-known that for the past two terms we didn’t advocate such a commission. The time has now come for this to take place."
Ms Hutt also said that they could not establish a commission "with a pre-determined agenda which is why the independent review is so important". (BBC News)
This may be a holding exercise, but it looks more likely that whichever coalition emerges in Cardiff will join Scotland and Northern Ireland in seeking more fiscal powers.
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