Today, he will urge changes to the legislation when the Lords debate the committee stage. Archbishop Barry formed Tomorrow's Wales to promote the principles of the Richard Commission - a two-year inquiry by Lord Ivor Richard of Ammanford which recommended the devolution of law making powers to Cardiff. Welsh secretary Peter Hain claims the Bill will put to bed the devolution issue for a generation. Archbishop Barry said: "In addition to our call for a referendum timetable, we are also concerned about the distinct lack of clarity regarding the scope of the executive powers held by the Secretary of State for Wales, in particular at stage two where he/she has the power to either approve or reject an Assembly request for an order in council. "The concerns outlined were all considered, and resolved, by the Richard Commission Report. "We do not agree that this is the end of the debate for a generation. "Tomorrow's Wales remains supportive of the thrust of the Richard Commission's recommendations and call for primary law making powers for the National Assembly for Wales. "We invite others to join us in the goal of promoting this agenda."
WALES' leading cleric has admitted turning to the works of RS Thomas in moments of crisis. Archbishop Barry "opened his heart" in a new handbook titled Strangely Orthodox, a concise companion to Thomas' religious poems.of Bangor got to knew the poet and officiated at his funeral and memorial service. He said: "The strength of his poetry for me was his sheer honesty in facing some of the difficulties that believing in God entails. At various moments of crises in my own ministry it was to his poetry I turned for both illumination and sustenance since he was never satisfied with glib easy answers to complicated questions of faith." Last night the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, described the book, published by Gower Press, as a helpful and creative guide. He said: "Barry Morgan's closing remarks about how the poet speaks to a generation for which the institution of the church often seems in crisis, yet for whom the echoes of the spirit are powerful, offer a very timely word." Thomas, who died six years ago, wrote the equivalent of one poem every fortnight for 50 years - more than 1,500 poems in all. His work has been translated into seven languages. Archbishop Barry will give a lecture on RS Thomas at Bangor university on May 3 | 
