Returning to one of this blog's 'hobby horses' today - primary law making powers for the National Assembly. Unless some unexpected gremlin appears, we all expect a Wales-wide referendum to be held in March to decide whether the power to make new measures (laws) in all those policy areas currently devolved should be transferred from Westminster to Cardiff Bay. Regular readers will know that I have supported this development since 19th September, 1997. Oddly, some people are assuming that I'm going to change my opinion because I've become a PPS in the Wales Office. Needless to say, these people made their assumptions without consulting me.
Nothing has changed. Whenever I've been asked, (over a long period) I've said (emphatically) that I have no intention of joining any formal campaign. I even refused to sign a letter instigated by Cymru Yfori last year (even though I agreed with much of its content). I believe that I can have more influence speaking to sceptical audiences around Wales, outlining what is involved. I could never do that as part of any formal Yes campaign. A few months ago I arranged a few meetings around Montgomeryshire, hoping to generate interest in this issue. They were a flop, only reaching double figures once. I gave up on the idea, but following the Electoral Commission's assessment that people simply have no idea what this issue is all about, I've decided to have another crack at it in the New Year.
No reason why being a PPS should change this at all. The Secretary of State and the Minister in the Wales Office are taking a 'neutral' position, which is absolutely fine. My position can hardly be 'neutral' because I've been so public about my support for transferring power to the Assembly over 13 years. I reckon that my strategy of 'spreading understanding' of what's involved will fit in rather well with my position in the Wales ministerial team. And if you believe that greater understanding leads logically to greater support for the Yes vote (as it did with the Jones-Parry Report) I assert that these accusations of being 'nobbled' do not stand up to examination.
1 comment:
I'm a 'solutions guy'; in the case of my home country of Wales I see a solution to the poor job prospects in the private sector that defines Wales.
Wales already has the enumerated power to convert it's #1 asset into jobs; in other words to take the high road; to accept that its own destiny is tied up not with what London gives Wales in grants, but in the actions WAG takes in converting its #1 asset into jobs to boost Wales' indigenous economy. Businesses that start out and grow in Wales are inevitably less inclined to relocate outside Wales, particularly if they enjoy the benefits of a limited monopoly on at least part of their product range.
I have spent over 10 years now studying, e.g. how universities in the USA commercialize their discoveries through licenses on the back of patents. MIT has over 3,000 issued patents and MIT has fewer students than Cardiff, and yet MIT is at the #3 spot in the latest THE world university rankings with Scotland having FOUR of its universities in the top 200 whereas Wales has a BIG FAT ZERO.
AN/((Massachusetts AND Institute) AND Technology): 3454 patents (In re: USPTO database)
Where “AN” = assignee
Since January of this year MIT has acquired over 100 issued patents:
AN/((Massachusetts AND Institute) AND Technology) and ISD/1/1/2010->9/21/2010 = 141 patents. (FYI: based on date format: month/day/year)
I have already explained how the universities in Wales could boost its registered patent count by a significant amount within a 12 month ‘grace’ period time frame (e.g., I recently published a thread/logic pseudo computer code to this effect (in the form of a comment-response on Professor Dylan Jones-Evans’ website; if memory serves Dylan suggested I write and send him a half-paper, and I guess he will write the other half).
Meanwhile, and sadly so, no one in authority at the WAG can be bothered to even consider this brave new idea – maybe WAG ministers feel it is heresy – too commercial.
Well, WAG has the power already to turn Wales’ #1 asset into indigenous jobs for Wales.
This is what “Simon says” said about Welsh university IP some time ago:
“Simon Gibson – the chief executive of private high-technology investment fund Wesley Clover – concluded some time ago that higher education (in Wales) was sitting on an untapped “gold mine” of IP which could be commercialized”; quote from in the Western Mail, Sep 26 2007, WM business journalist: Sion Barry.
PS I was recently in correspondence with a WAG minister and he told me that he has ordered a paper on IP and HE (in Wales).
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