The Welsh Language Commissioner Meri Huws also wrote to the savings bank - which is backed by the Treasury - saying that there was no provision in law to end the language scheme.

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Most popular was the right-to-buy scheme that by the end of 1991 had enabled nearly 84, 000 council houses in Wales to be sold to their occupiers.

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Higgs and Siddiqui said they participated in the scheme for their year-end bonus and to make their boss happy.

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Sir Anthony, who is also the independent complaints commissioner for the Financial Services Authority, raised concerns about the compliance scheme - added to legislation at the tail end of the last Parliament.

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At the end of Labour's six-month scheme, workers would have to find a permanent job or revert to claiming jobseeker's allowance.

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