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believes he may have sacrificed some "independence" for "influence" in his new job as ministerial bag-carrier to the Secretary of State for Wales. But how much?

are usually seen and seldom heard. They are not expected to sign Commons motions and, as part of the "payroll vote" at Westminster, have to resign if they want to vote against their own government.

By convention, , they are not members of select committees.

The Montgomeryshire MP is currently a member of the select committee on Welsh affairs - which monitors the department he has just joined. Will this conflict of interest lead to his early escape? The Tories are not over-burdened with volunteers for the Welsh committee so he may have to stay. A spy in the camp?

The department Glyn Davies has joined is studiously neutral in arguably the biggest issue it faces - a referendum on the Welsh assembly's powers. Neutral is not the word to describe Glyn Davies's position on this issue - he's keen for the assembly to acquire more law-making powers.

He says his new role is "bound to give me a role in delivering the referendum on Assembly law making powers programmed for next March". But will he be able to campaign openly during a campaign which his ministerial bosses intend to avoid?

A question I put to the Secretary of State herself. She has yet to discuss the issue with her new PPS but the Wales Office appears to have a working assumption that Mr Davies will be keeping his well-known views on this subject to himself as Wales goes to the polls next March.

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