Second Welsh housing powers bid

Critics say the row shows the flaws in current constitutional arrangements

A second attempt to secure powers to restrict council tenants' right to buy their homes in Wales is to be made by the assembly government.

An original bid was withdrawn following a rift between the assembly and Welsh MPs, who feared it could be used to abolish the right to buy.

The assembly government always insisted it never intended to end right to buy.

An entirely new version of the Legislative Competence Order (LCO) is being drafted.

Assembly government Finance Minister Andrew Davies refused to be drawn on the precise content of the new order.

He said ministers were now seeking "broader powers" on affordable housing.

MPs on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee said that the original LCO should not go forward unless the abolition of the right-to-buy powers were excluded.

Lengthy negotiations between the assembly government and the Wales Office failed to produce a solution and therefore a completely new order is being prepared.