'Rewrite devolution rulebook'.

Byline: By STEVE BAGNALL

A LABOUR AM is calling for the 'rule book' that oversees how devolution operates in the UK to be updated.

Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, made her call after raising the issue in the National Assembly in a question to Counsel General and Leader of the House, Carwyn Jones.

The AM is asking for devolved administrations heads and the UK Government, to review the 'Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements' during an important devolution 'summit' to be held.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out the principles which underlie relations between the UK Government and the devolved administrations.

Lesley Griffiths' call comes in advance of a planned full meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC), due to be held between the devolved administrations and the UK Government.

It will be the first such meeting since 2002.

Commenting on her call for a review of the MoU, Lesley Griffiths AM said: "The Memorandum of Understanding is a very important document. It deals with such fundamental issues as the implementation of devolution settlements, co-operation between the nations, how the Joint Ministerial Committee operates and specifically, how Parliament should deal with legislation following devolution.

"The current Memorandum was agreed back in 2001 and we have had the Government of Wales Act 2006.

"The Welsh Assembly can now draw down powers of its own via LCOs and Measures, however, the MoU does not reflect any of these changes.

"It does not accommodate how we operate in Wales in 2008. I believe it's time it did.

"The Welsh Assembly, the UK Government and Parliament require an up-to-date Memorandum, to enable us all to understand fully, the context within which we now operate. Given that a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee is being planned for this summer, I believe the MoU should now be reviewed as part of that."