The wise words of Dafydd Elis-Thomas. I do rather feel that Plaid is taking a purist position, confident in the knowledge that others are going to do the heavy lifting, and ensure that this legislative measure is passed.

I’m very pleased to read Theresa May’s assurances in her speech today that no decision currently taken by the devolved administrations will be removed from them in the Brexit process, and I feel that that’s a very important statement. But, that is the statement of today’s political leader, and we cannot know for how long that political leader will be here. Therefore, that is the reason why I feel that we need to support this imperfect Bill, because we need to batten down the hatches in terms of ensuring that the powers that the Welsh Assembly has are enshrined in law so that we can enter the discussions and negotiations about Brexit full in that knowledge that we have these powers. I think that is the context in which we must look at this imperfect Bill and that is the reason why I will be supporting it.

I welcome very much the devolution of energy planning powers for all generation projects up to 350 MW, and the concessions that have been exacted by our colleagues in the House of Lords over the control of low-voltage lines. But I am disappointed that the amendments to permit the Assembly to legislate on all aspects of the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity—which would have excluded nuclear energy, quite rightly, but included legislation to permit private wire distribution rather than everything going via the national grid—that those clauses have not been permitted by the UK Government because, I think, there’s an incomplete understanding by the UK Government of just how the world is moving on technically. Devolved generation, distribution and storage of energy has been shown to stimulate innovation and enterprise across communities, as was captured by the smarter energy inquiry in the fourth Assembly.

This Bill is a curate’s egg, and most definitely is not the permanent framework for the devolution settlement that we had hoped for. But we must accept what we have on the table. I acknowledge the excellent efforts of Eluned Morgan and Dafydd Elis-Thomas, and others in the House of Lords, to improve the Bill. I don’t think—as others have said, we cannot rush ahead of the Welsh people, but we equally, unfortunately, cannot rush ahead of the considered view of the members of the Tory party, and indeed some of the colleagues in my own party, who have yet to fully understand the importance of devolution.

I do not think the Wales Bill is fit for the twenty-first century, particularly around energy and the environment, with the technology moving so fast and the climate change challenges that we face. I do not think that it gives us sufficient powers. We only have the carrot on energy conservation; we don’t have the stick that needs to go with it. It is disappointing that we don’t even have the powers that they have in Scotland on these matters. But, we can only push ahead as fast as the people will allow us to do, and I very much welcome the concessions that are there—that, I’m told, the channel for reflecting on the energy powers that we are currently being devolved hasn’t been closed off. I understand there will be an opportunity for dialogue between the two Governments, and I’d be grateful if the First Minister might be able to say a little bit more about that in his summing up.