To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the Welsh Assembly will have a cabinet or a committee structure; and if he will make a statement. [17522]

Subject to the provisions of the Government of Wales Bill, the Assembly's internal organisation will be a matter for its standing orders. The White Paper made clear that the Assembly will have both subject committees and an executive committee, but the roles of the executive committee, the Assembly leader, subject committees, and subject committee leaders will be a matter for standing orders. I will be appointing Commissioners to prepare the Assembly's first standing orders but the Assembly will be free subsequently to amend these; in so doing, and subject to the requirements of the Government of Wales Bill, it will be free to adopt such forms of internal organisation as it considers appropriate.