Nominations to Represent Wales on the European Union Committee of the Regions 2006-2010

The current European Union Committee of the Regions mandate ends on 25 January 2006.  The new mandate runs from February 2006 for four years.  The Foreign Secretary has overall responsibility for ensuring that the UK is adequately represented in the Committee of the Regions and, in keeping with established practice, he has asked me to forward nominations from Wales.  The Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the First Minister for Scotland have similarly been asked to submit nominations from elsewhere in the UK.

Following established procedure I have consulted Assembly colleagues and the Welsh Local Government Association.  I have re-nominated Rosemary Butler AM and Janet Davies AM as the Assembly full and alternate members respectively.  At the request of the WLGA, I have agreed to nominate Cllr W J Williams (Independent, Isle of Anglesey) as full member and Cllr Robert Bright (Labour, Newport) as alternate member.

The next step will be for the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister to approve the UK package of nominations.  They will then be submitted to a meeting of the Council of Ministers for final approval before Members become eligible to begin the new mandate.