THE National Assembly must draw up a "shopping-list" of new powers to shake off public apathy and make central government communicate with it better, a leading political commentator says.

Welsh psychologist Dai Williams told the Argus that AMs needed to start pressurising Downing Street to devolve more powers to the Assembly ahead of next year's elections - in a bid to avoid confusion over central government announcements such as yesterday's move to put police in English schools.

Mr Williams said: "Over the next year, the Assembly needs to take a hard look at itself, and draw up a shopping-list of new powers and persuade those areas such as the Home Office to loosen up in terms of communication with the Assembly."

Mr Williams' views come after Assembly officials and MPs reacted with surprise to Tony Blair's announcement at the weekend in which he proposed stopping child benefit for the parents of unruly children who persistently commit offences.

While the issue was played down by members of his own cabinet yesterday, any new Home Office legislation would include Wales.

Education Secretary Estelle Morris yesterday announced new measures which could lead to officers being stationed in the most troublesome schools in England. A spokesman for the Assembly told the Argus that the policy applied to only a small proportion of schools in England with social problems far worse than those in Wales.

But the announcements were the latest in a line from central government which took Wales by surprise - prompting the obvious question whether Wales would be covered by them.

Another similar Westminster announcement was about the Red Card scheme cracking down on hospital violence, which - it was discovered later - was not being adopted in Wales, prompting an Argus campaign for a similar scheme to be introduced in Welsh hospitals.

But politicians in Wales say in devolution it is natural that policies differ, and defended the Assembly's communication with Westminster on issues that affect Wales.

John Griffiths, Labour AM for Newport East, said: "This is what devolution is all about - having distinct policies for distinct needs."

Newport Tory AM William Graham added the differences over social issues "show the parties in Wales are more aware, and far more tuned in than politicians in the South East."