Welsh Devolution
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Welsh devolution (
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
: ''Datganoli i Gymru'') is the transfer of legislative power for
self-governance __NOTOC__ Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...
to
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
by the
Government of the United Kingdom ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal coat of arms of t ...
. Wales was conquered by England during the 13th century; the 1284
Statute of Rhuddlan The Statute of Rhuddlan (12 Edw 1 cc.1–14; cy, Statud Rhuddlan ), also known as the Statutes of Wales ( la, Statuta Valliae) or as the Statute of Wales ( la, Statutum Valliae, links=no), provided the constitutional basis for the government of ...
caused Wales to lose its de facto
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
and formed the constitutional basis for it as a principality in the "Realm of England". The
Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 ( cy, Y Deddfau Cyfreithiau yng Nghymru 1535 a 1542) were Acts of the Parliament of England, and were the parliamentary measures by which Wales was annexed to the Kingdom of England. Moreover, the legal sys ...
applied English law to Wales and united the
Principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...
and the
Marches In medieval Europe, a march or mark was, in broad terms, any kind of borderland, as opposed to a national "heartland". More specifically, a march was a border between realms or a neutral buffer zone under joint control of two states in which diff ...
which effectively ended both and incorporated Wales into England. The
Wales and Berwick Act 1746 The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo. II, c. 42) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that created a statutory definition of England as including England, Wales and Berwick-upon-Tweed. This definition applied to all Acts passed before ...
defined "England" to include Wales until the
Welsh Language Act 1967 The Welsh Language Act 1967, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which gave some rights to use the Welsh language in legal proceedings in Wales (including Monmouthshire) and gave the relevant Minister the right to authorise the pro ...
, which separated Wales from England within the sovereign state of the United Kingdom. Political movements supporting Welsh self-rule began in the late nineteenth century alongside a rise in
Welsh nationalism Welsh nationalism ( cy, Cenedlaetholdeb Cymreig) emphasises and celebrates the distinctiveness of Welsh culture and Wales as a nation or country. Welsh nationalism may also include calls for further autonomy or self determination which includes ...
. The devolution of some administrative responsibilities began in the early twentieth century, as well as the passing of laws specific to Wales. Since World War II, various movements and proposals have advocated different models of Welsh devolution. In 1979, a referendum on devolution was rejected by 79% of voters. In 1997, subsequent referendum on devolution narrowly supported devolution. Laws were passed to establish the
National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English language, English and () in Welsh language, Welsh, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes ...
and grant it secondary legislative powers over areas such as agriculture, education and housing. The third referendum in 2011 saw voters support full primary law-making powers for the National Assembly over specified areas of governance. After the
Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1) ( cy, Deddf Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2020) is an Act of the National Assembly for Wales that was given royal assent on 15 January 2020. It was first detailed in February 2019 by way of an Ex ...
, the National Assembly was renamed "Senedd Cymru" (in Welsh) and the "Welsh Parliament" (in English) (also collectively referred to as the "
Senedd The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
"), which was seen as a better reflection of the body's expanded legislative powers. The
Welsh Labour Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...
Party advocates for further Welsh devolution and "far-reaching
federalism Federalism is a combined or compound mode of government that combines a general government (the central or "federal" government) with regional governments (Province, provincial, State (sub-national), state, Canton (administrative division), can ...
" with powers equal Scotland and Northern Ireland, whilst the Welsh nationalist party,
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
has described devolution as a stepping stone towards full
Welsh independence Welsh independence ( cy, Annibyniaeth i Gymru) is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the ki ...
.


History


English rule

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
invaded Wales in 1276-77 following disputes with Welsh sovereign
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 11 December 1282), sometimes written as Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, also known as Llywelyn the Last ( cy, Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, lit=Llywelyn, Our Last Leader), was the native Prince of Wales ( la, Princeps Wall ...
(Llywelyn the Last, Prince of Wales). Following the killing of Llywelyn the Last in Cilmeri in 1282, Edward sought to end Welsh independence and introduced the royal ordinance of the
Statute of Rhuddlan The Statute of Rhuddlan (12 Edw 1 cc.1–14; cy, Statud Rhuddlan ), also known as the Statutes of Wales ( la, Statuta Valliae) or as the Statute of Wales ( la, Statutum Valliae, links=no), provided the constitutional basis for the government of ...
in 1284. The statute was a constitutional change causing Wales to lose its de facto independence and formed the
Principality of Wales The Principality of Wales ( cy, Tywysogaeth Cymru) was originally the territory of the native Welsh princes of the House of Aberffraw from 1216 to 1283, encompassing two-thirds of modern Wales during its height of 1267–1277. Following the con ...
within the "Realm of England". The name refers to
Rhuddlan Castle Rhuddlan Castle ( cy, Castell Rhuddlan; ) is a castle located in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, Wales. It was erected by Edward I in 1277, following the First Welsh War. Much of the work was overseen by master mason James of Saint George. Rhudd ...
in
Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...
, where it was first
promulgated Promulgation is the formal proclamation or the declaration that a new statutory or administrative law is enacted after its final approval. In some jurisdictions, this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect. After a new law ...
on 19 March 1284. The statute confirmed the annexation of Wales and introduced
English common law English law is the common law legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly criminal law and civil law, each branch having its own courts and procedures. Principal elements of English law Although the common law has, historically, bee ...
to Wales for criminal cases, while civil cases were still dealt with under the Welsh
laws of Hywel Dda ''Cyfraith Hywel'' (; ''Laws of Hywel''), also known as Welsh law ( la, Leges Walliæ), was the system of law practised in medieval Wales before its final conquest by England. Subsequently, the Welsh law's criminal codes were superseded by t ...
.


Council of Wales and the Marches

In 1470 Edward IV formed the Council of Wales and the Marches. Following the defeat of Richard III in battle, the Welsh King of England Henry VII continued the use of Council and it was mostly used for judicial purposes. During the time of the council,
Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
introduced the
Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 ( cy, Y Deddfau Cyfreithiau yng Nghymru 1535 a 1542) were Acts of the Parliament of England, and were the parliamentary measures by which Wales was annexed to the Kingdom of England. Moreover, the legal sys ...
via the English parliament, legally integrating Wales and England. This abolished the Welsh legal system brought about by Hywel Dda, and caused the
Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
to lose any official role or status. The laws also defined the England-Wales border for the first time, and members representing constituencies in Wales could be elected to the English Parliament. The
Marcher Lord A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in F ...
ships and Principality of Wales were united, essentially ending both. The council of Wales and the Marches was abolished in 1641 by the English Parliament but in 1660 was reconstituted but did not carry the same importance as under Henry VII for example. The council was finally was abolished in 1689 following the deposition of James II by the Dutch William III of Orange.


British rule and devolution movements


18th century

Around a century later and according to
Blackstone's commentaries The ''Commentaries on the Laws of England'' are an influential 18th-century treatise on the common law of England by Sir William Blackstone, originally published by the Clarendon Press at Oxford, 1765–1770. The work is divided into four volume ...
, the
Wales and Berwick Act 1746 The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo. II, c. 42) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that created a statutory definition of England as including England, Wales and Berwick-upon-Tweed. This definition applied to all Acts passed before ...
was passed, declaring that "where England only is mentioned in any act of parliament, the same notwithstanding hath and shall be deemed to comprehend the dominion of Wales and town of Berwick upon Tweed", meaning England would henceforth be used as a term to describe England, Wales and the town of Berwick.


Independence of the Welsh church

The
Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 The Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the Licensing Acts 1828 to 1886. It required the closure of all public houses in Wales on Sundays. The Act had considerable political importan ...
was the first legislation to acknowledge that Wales had a separate politico-legal character from the rest of the English state.
David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
, MP for Caernarfon at the time (and future
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
), was devoted to Welsh devolution early in his career, starting with the
Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglicanism, Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishop ...
. He said in 1890; "I am deeply impressed with the fact that Wales has wants and inspirations of her own which have too long been ignored, but which must no longer be neglected. First and foremost amongst these stands the cause of religious liberty and equality in Wales. If returned to Parliament by you, it shall be my earnest endeavour to labour for the triumph of this great cause. I believe in a liberal extension of the principle of decentralisation." In 1895, in a failed Church in Wales Bill, Lloyd George added an amendment in a discreet attempt at forming a sort of Welsh home rule, a national council for appointment of the Welsh Church commissioners. The
Welsh Church Act 1914 The Welsh Church Act 1914 is an Act of Parliament under which the Church of England was separated and disestablished in Wales and Monmouthshire, leading to the creation of the Church in Wales. The Act had long been demanded by the Nonconformist ...
was passed giving the
Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglicanism, Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishop ...
the freedom to govern its own affairs. After being suspended for the duration of the First World War, the Act came into effect from 1920.


Cymru Fydd

In 1886
Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually served as a leading imperialist in coalition with the Cons ...
proposed "
Home Rule Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
All Round" in the United Kingdom. In the same year, the Cymru Fydd (Wales To Be/Wales Will Be) movement was founded to further the cause. Lloyd George was one of the main leaders of Cymru Fydd which was an organisation created with the aim of establishing a
Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
and a "stronger Welsh identity". As such Lloyd George was seen as a radical figure in British politics and was associated with the reawakening of
Welsh nationalism Welsh nationalism ( cy, Cenedlaetholdeb Cymreig) emphasises and celebrates the distinctiveness of Welsh culture and Wales as a nation or country. Welsh nationalism may also include calls for further autonomy or self determination which includes ...
and identity, saying in 1880, "Is it not high time that Wales should the powers to manage its own affairs". Historian Emyr Price has referred to him as "the first architect of Welsh devolution and its most famous advocate’" as well as "the pioneering advocate of a powerful parliament for the Welsh people". Lloyd George was also particularly active in attempting to set up a separate Welsh National Party which was based on Parnell's
Irish Parliamentary Party The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP; commonly called the Irish Party or the Home Rule Party) was formed in 1874 by Isaac Butt, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish national ...
and also worked to unite the North and South Wales Liberal Federations with Cymru Fydd to form a Welsh National Liberal Federation. The Cymru Fydd movement collapsed in 1896 amid personal rivalries and rifts between Liberal representatives such as
David Alfred Thomas David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda, PC (26 March 1856 – 3 July 1918), was a Welsh industrialist and Liberal politician. He was UK Member of Parliament (MP) for Merthyr Tydfil from 1888 until the January 1910 general election, then M ...
.


Formation of Welsh national institutions

The late 19th saw the formation of a number of national institutions: 1861 -
National Eisteddfod of Wales The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Eur ...
, 1876 -
Football Association of Wales The Football Association of Wales (FAW; cy, Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru) is the Governing bodies of sports in Wales, governing body of association football and futsal in Wales, and controls the Wales national football team, Welsh national foo ...
, 1881 -
Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...
and in 1893 -
University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff ...
. In 1896,
Education in Wales This article provides an overview of education in Wales from early childhood education, early childhood to university and adult education, adult skills. Largely state funded and free-at-the-point-of-use at a primary school, primary and secondary ...
began to become distinct with the formation of the Central Welsh Board which inspected grammar schools in Wales and The
Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889 The Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict c 40) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Background Elementary education had been compulsory in Wales, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, since the introduction of t ...
was brought about to "make further provision for the intermediate and technical education of the inhabitants of Wales and the county of Monmouth.", responsible for inspection of secondary schools. In 1907, the Welsh department of the
Board of Education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
was formed and in the same year, a Welsh Inspectorate was established for inspection of primary and secondary schools in Wales. The early 20th century also saw the formation of a number of Welsh national institutions: 1911 -
National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million boo ...
, 1915 -
Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WG; cy, Gwarchodlu Cymreig), part of the Guards Division, is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the First World War, by Royal Warrant of George V. ...
, 1919 - Welsh Board of Health, 1920 - The
Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglicanism, Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishop ...
was disestablished and separated from the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
through the
Welsh Church Act 1914 The Welsh Church Act 1914 is an Act of Parliament under which the Church of England was separated and disestablished in Wales and Monmouthshire, leading to the creation of the Church in Wales. The Act had long been demanded by the Nonconformist ...
, 1925 -
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
. By 1945 there were 15 Government departments established in Wales.


Council for Wales and Monmouthshire

Welsh Labour backbenchers such as D. R. Grenfell, W. H. Mainwaring and James Griffiths supported the establishment of a Secretary of State post whereas
Aneurin Bevan Aneurin "Nye" Bevan PC (; 15 November 1897 – 6 July 1960) was a Welsh Labour Party politician, noted for tenure as Minister of Health in Clement Attlee's government in which he spearheaded the creation of the British National Health ...
thought devolution would distract from "British mainstream politics". The UK Government compromised and agreed to the establishment of a Council for Wales and Monmouthshire. However, it was given no more than a responsibility to advise the UK government on matters of Welsh interest.John Davies, ''A History of Wales'', Penguin, 1993, The proposal to set up a Council for Wales and Monmouthshire was announced in the House of Commons on 24 November 1948. Its inaugural meeting was in May 1949, and its first business meeting the following month. Its terms of reference were: * to meet from time to time and at least quarterly for the interchange of views and information on development and trends in the economic and cultural fields in Wales and Monmouthshire; and * to ensure the government is adequately informed of the impact of government activities on the general life of the people of Wales and Monmouthshire. The Council had 27 appointed members. Of these, 12 were nominated by Welsh local authorities; there were also nominees from the Joint Education Committee, the
University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff ...
, the National Eisteddfod Council, the Welsh Tourist and Holidays Board, and from both management and union sides of Welsh industry and agriculture. The chairman was Huw T. Edwards, a trade union leader. The Council met in private, a further source of controversy. It set up various panels and committees to investigate issues affecting Wales, including a Welsh Language Panel to study and report upon the present situation of the language; a Government Administration Panel; an Industrial Panel; a Rural Development Panel; a Transport Panel; and a Tourist Industry Panel.


Parliament for Wales campaign

In the 1950s, the deterioration of the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
removed a sense of Britishness and there was a realisation that Wales was not as prosperous as south-east England and smaller European countries. Successive Conservative Party victories in Westminster led to suggestions that only through self-government could Wales achieve a government reflecting the votes of a Welsh electorate. The Tryweryn flooding which was voted against by every single Welsh MP, suggested that Wales as a nation was powerless. The
Epynt clearance The Epynt clearance (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Cliriad Epynt'') refers to the forced eviction of the Mynydd Epynt community in Powys, Wales, where 200 men, women and children were evicted from their homes which included 54 farms and a pub. The evicti ...
in 1940 has also been described as a "significant - but often overlooked - chapter in the history of Wales". Those in favour of a Welsh parliament paraded in
Machynlleth Machynlleth () is a market town, community and electoral ward in Powys, Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had a popul ...
(the place of Owain Glyndŵr's last Senedd) on 1 October 1949. Speakers and entertainment were also at the event. From 1950-1956, Parliament for Wales campaign brought devolution back onto the political agenda. A cross-party campaign was led by Lady
Megan Lloyd George Lady Megan Arvon Lloyd George, (22 April 1902 – 14 May 1966) was a Welsh politician and the first female Member of Parliament (MP) for a Welsh constituency. She also served as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, before later becoming a Lab ...
, daughter of former Prime minister and campaigner for Welsh devolution,
David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
who had passed away in 1945. The Campaign for a Welsh parliament (''Ymgyrch Senedd i Gymru'') was formally launched on 1 July 1950, at a rally in Llandrindod. This event lead to the creation of a petition of 240,652 names calling for the establishment of a Welsh parliament, which was presented to the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
by Megan Lloyd George in 1956. This was rejected by the UK government. Petitions were also presented to the House of Commons for a
Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...
which were also rejected.


Welsh Office & Secretary of State for Wales

In the first half of the 20th century, a number of politicians had supported the creation of the post of Secretary of State for Wales as a step towards
home rule Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
for Wales. A post of Minister of Welsh Affairs was created in 1951 under the home secretary and was promoted to
minister of state Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
level in 1954. In 1964, the UK Labour government formed a new office of the Secretary of State for Wales and in 1965 the Welsh Office was created which was run by the
Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...
and which was responsible for implementing UK government policies in Wales. In 1999 the Welsh Office ceased to exist upon the creation of the National Assembly for Wales. Staff from the Welsh office moved into the National Assembly.


Official flag and capital city

The first official flag of Wales was created in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This "augmented" flag including the Royal badge of Wales was criticised in 1958 by the " Gorsedd y Beirdd", a national Welsh group comprising Welsh literary figures and Welsh people of note. In 1959, likely in response to criticism, the Welsh flag was changed to a red Welsh dragon on a green and white background that remains the current flag of Wales today. On 21 December 1955, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff announced to a crowd that
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
was now the official capital of Wales following a parliamentary vote the previous day by Welsh local authority members. Cardiff won the vote with 136 votes compared to second-placed Caernarfon with 11. A campaign for Cardiff to become the capital city had been ongoing for 30 years prior to the vote. Historian James Cowan outlined some reasons why Cardiff was chosen which included; being the largest city in Wales with a population of 243,632, buildings in Cathays park such as City Hall and the National Museum of Wales among other reasons. Dr Martin Johnes, lecturer at Swansea University claims that Cardiff had become "a capital in a meaningful way, as the home of the Welsh government, whereas before, its capital status was irrelevant, it was just symbolic" prior to the formation of the devolved assembly of 1999.


First Plaid Cymru MP

The leader of
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
,
Gwynfor Evans Gwynfor Richard Evans (1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. He was President of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru for thirty-six years and was the first Member of Parliament to represent it at Westmi ...
won the party's first-ever seat in Westminster in Carmarthen in 1966, which "helped change the course of a nation". This, paired with the SNP's Winnie Ewing's winning a seat in Hamilton, Scotland in 1967 may have contributed to pressure on Labour prime minister Harold Wilson to form the Kilbrandon Commission. This event may have also contributed to the passing of the
Welsh Language Act 1967 The Welsh Language Act 1967, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which gave some rights to use the Welsh language in legal proceedings in Wales (including Monmouthshire) and gave the relevant Minister the right to authorise the pro ...
. This act repealed a provision in the
Wales and Berwick Act 1746 The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo. II, c. 42) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that created a statutory definition of England as including England, Wales and Berwick-upon-Tweed. This definition applied to all Acts passed before ...
that the term "England" should include Wales, thus defining Wales to be a separate entity from England within the UK. The legislation permitted the official use of Welsh including in law courts. The act was in part based upon the Hughes Parry Report from 1965. While the Welsh Courts Act in 1942 had previously allowed limited use of Welsh if defendants or plaintiffs had limited knowledge of English, the 1967 act was far more robust. While the act itself was quite limited, it had large symbolic importance.


National Assembly referendums

The UK Labour government introduced separate devolution bills for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1977 following the support for a Scottish parliament by the Kilbrandon Commission. On
St David's Day Saint David's Day ( cy, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant or ; ), or the Feast of Saint David, is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March, the date of Saint David's death in 589 AD. The feast has been regularly celebr ...
(March 1st), 1979 Welsh devolution referendum was held on a National Assembly for Wales but came at the end of the
Winter of Discontent The Winter of Discontent was the period between November 1978 and February 1979 in the United Kingdom characterised by widespread strikes by private, and later public, sector trade unions demanding pay rises greater than the limits Prime Minis ...
in addition to "tribalism" divisions within Wales. According to John Morris, people in southern Wales were persuaded that the Assembly would be dominated by "bigoted Welsh-speakers from the north and the west" whilst in the northern Wales, people were persuaded that the Assembly would be dominated by Glamorgan County Council “Taffia”. Welsh voters voted against forming an Assembly, with 79.7% voting against and 20.3% who voting Yes. Meanwhile, Scotland had narrowly voted in favour of a
Scottish parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
with 51.6% in favour. The
Welsh Language Act 1993 The Welsh Language Act 1993, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which put the Welsh language on an equal footing with the English language in Wales. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542 had made English the only language of publ ...
provided a new law for public organisations in Wales to have bilingual schemes, which would be supervised by the
Welsh Language Board The Welsh Language Board ( cy, Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg) was a statutory body set up by Her Majesty's Government under the Welsh Language Act 1993. It was an Assembly Sponsored Public Body. It began its life under John Walter Jones, and its last ...
. Some private sector companies including British Telecoms (BT) and British Gas had already included Welsh language schemes in company policies before this Act. In the 1980s,
economic restructuring Economic restructuring is used to indicate changes in the constituent parts of an economy in a very general sense. In the western world, it is usually used to refer to the phenomenon of urban areas shifting from a manufacturing to a service sector ...
and
Thatcherite Thatcherism is a form of British conservative ideology named after Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher that relates to not just her political platform and particular policies but also her personal character and general style of manag ...
market reforms are described as having brought social dislocation to parts of Wales, which was formerly described as having "the largest public sector west of the
Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. The term symbolizes the efforts by the Soviet Union (USSR) to block itself and its s ...
". A succession of non-Welsh
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
Secretaries of State after 1987 was portrayed by opponents as 'colonial' and indicative of a '
democratic deficit A democratic deficit (or democracy deficit) occurs when ostensibly democratic organizations or institutions (particularly governments) fall short of fulfilling the principles of democracy in their practices or operation where representative and l ...
'. In the early 1990s, Labour became committed to devolution to both
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and Wales, and in 1997 it was elected with a mandate to hold referendums on a
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
and a Welsh Assembly. The political climate was very different from that of 1979 Welsh devolution referendum which resulted in a no vote, with a new generation of Welsh MPs in Westminster and a broad consensus on the previously divisive issue of the
Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
. In the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum, a majority of the Welsh electorate vote in favour of establishing a National Assembly for Wales by 50.3 per cent, on a 50.2 per cent turnout.


Devolved legislature (1998–present)

The
Government of Wales Act 1998 The Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was passed in 1998 by the Labour government to create a Welsh Assembly, therefore granting Wales a degree of self-government. This legislative bo ...
granted the formation of the National Assembly and granted it a significant number of new powers which included most of the powers previously held by the
Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...
and at least 20 national institutions including the Education and Learning Wales,
Environment Agency Wales Environment Agency Wales () was a Welsh Government sponsored body that was part of the Environment Agency of England and Wales from 1996 to 2013. Its principal aims were to protect and improve the environment in Wales and to promote sustainable ...
and the
Welsh Language Board The Welsh Language Board ( cy, Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg) was a statutory body set up by Her Majesty's Government under the Welsh Language Act 1993. It was an Assembly Sponsored Public Body. It began its life under John Walter Jones, and its last ...
. The
National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English language, English and () in Welsh language, Welsh, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes ...
was formed in 1999 and the UK Parliament reserved the right to set limits on its powers.


Law making

The Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales (the Richard Commission) was formed in 2002. This commission made a series of recommendations in 2004. These included an increased number of members, legally separating executive and legislative acts and the devolution of primary law-making powers. A large majority of these findings were used by the UK government to introduce the
Government of Wales Act 2006 The Government of Wales Act 2006 (c 32) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the then-National Assembly for Wales (now the Senedd) and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act creates a system o ...
, describing the powers and responsibilities of the devolved authorities for legislating, decision-making and policy-making. In March 2011, a referendum was held on whether full primary law-making powers should be given to the National Assembly in the twenty subject areas where it held jurisdiction. The referendum concluded with 63.5% of voters supporting the transfer of full primary law-making powers to the Assembly.


Official country and language status

In 2011, the
International Standards Organisation The International Organization for Standardization (ISO ) is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries. Membership requirements are given in Art ...
officially changed the status of Wales to country after the term "principality" was used in error. This came about following lobbying from Plaid Cymru AM (Assembly Member)
Leanne Wood Leanne Wood (born 13 December 1971) is a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from March 2012 to September 2018, and served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) from 2003 to 2021. Born in the Rhondda, she was elected as to the ...
. Legally Wales had ceased to be a principality since the period that the Statue of Rhuddlan was implemented from 1284-1542. The governments of the United Kingdom and of Wales almost invariably define Wales as a country. VisitWales.com states that "Wales is not a Principality. Although we are joined with England by land, and we are part of Great Britain, Wales is a country in its own right." The
Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 Welsh language 2011 in Wales Measures of the National Assembly for Wales The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 made Welsh an official language of Wales and treated no less favourably than English. The Act allowed people to live their lives thro ...
modernised the 1993 Welsh Language Act and gave Welsh an official status in Wales for the first time, a major landmark for the language. Welsh is the only official ''de jure'' language of any country in the UK. The Measure was also responsible for creating the post of
Welsh Language Commissioner The Welsh Language Commissioner () is a Welsh Government officer, overseeing an independent advisory body of the same name. The position was created following the passing of the ''Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011'', effective on 1 April 2012 ...
, replacing the Welsh Language Board. Following the referendum in 2011, the Official Languages Act became the first Welsh law to be created in 600 years, according to the First Minister at the time,
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Howell Jones (born 21 March 1967) is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the S ...
. This law was passed by Welsh AMs only and made Welsh an official language of the National Assembly.


Further powers

The UK Government also formed the
Commission on Devolution in Wales The Commission on Devolution in Wales ( cy, Comisiwn ar Ddatganoli yng Nghymru), also known as the Silk Commission, was an independent commission established by Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan on 11 October 2011. The commission was based at the W ...
(the Silk Commission). The commission published part 1 of its report in 2012, recommending new financial powers for Wales including borrowing and taxation, which came into force in the
Wales Act 2014 The Wales Act 2014legislation.gov.uk
Wales Act 2014
is an
. The Tax Collection and Management (Wales) Act 2016 was passed by the National Assembly to facilitate the financial powers of the
Wales Act 2014 The Wales Act 2014legislation.gov.uk
Wales Act 2014
is an
. The
Land Transaction Tax Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is a property tax in Wales. It replaced the Stamp Duty Land Tax from 1 April 2018. It became the first Welsh tax in almost 800 years. LTT is a tax applied to residential and commercial land and buildings transaction ...
(replacing Stamp Duty) and the Landfill Disposal Tax were the very first two devolved taxes. In 2019, over £2 billion of
income tax An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
was devolved to the Senedd. The
Wales Act 2017 The Wales Act 2017 (c. 7) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sets out amendments to the Government of Wales Act 2006 and devolves further powers to Wales. The legislation is based on the proposals of the St David's Day Comman ...
defined the National Assembly and devolved institutions to be a permanent component of the UK constitution, and any abolition of such institutions would require a referendum. The act also changed the model of operation of the devolved institutions from a "conferred powers model" to a "reserved powers model". The Assembly was also given the power to decide its own name and voting system of members. In May 2020, the
Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1) ( cy, Deddf Senedd ac Etholiadau (Cymru) 2020) is an Act of the National Assembly for Wales that was given royal assent on 15 January 2020. It was first detailed in February 2019 by way of an Ex ...
, the
National Assembly for Wales The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English language, English and () in Welsh language, Welsh, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes ...
was renamed "
Senedd Cymru The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
" or "the
Welsh Parliament The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
", commonly known as the "
Senedd The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
" in both English and Welsh, to reflect increased legislative powers. The Act for the first time in Wales allowed 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote, beginning with the 2021 Senedd election.


Currently devolved powers

The powers currently employed by the Senedd are, in summary: * Agriculture, forestry and fishing * Education * Environment * Health and social care * Housing * Local government * Highways and transport * Some control over income tax, stamp duty and landfill tax * Welsh language


Constitutional options

Since 1997, there has been evidence of increased support for, and trust in, the
Senedd The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
and greater support for it to receive enhanced powers. In the 2011 referendum, 63.49 per cent of voters voted "Yes" for the then Assembly to have further powers. The referendum had a turnout of 35.6 per cent. On 6 December 2022, The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales is an ongoing commission that will make recommendations about Wales’ constitutional future and the powers of the Senedd. Having their first meeting on the 25th of November 2021, Professor
Laura McAllister Professor Laura McAllister (born 10 December 1964) is a Welsh academic, former international footballer and senior sports administrator. As a Wales women's national football team player, McAllister won 24 caps and served as team captain. She i ...
and Dr
Rowan Williams Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet. He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held from December 2002 to December 2012. Previously the Bish ...
are co-chairing the commission. Professor McAllister has stated that all options are on the table, including independence. This independent commission was established in 2022 by the Welsh Government and has two broad objectives which include consideration and development of options for reform of constitutional structures of the UK, and progressive principal options to strengthen Welsh democracy and deliver improvements for Wales. The interim findings of the commission outlined three viable options for Wales, to be explored in more depth in 2023: # Entrenched devolution # Federal structures #
Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...


Entrenched devolution

This is the first of the three constitutional options for Wales as proposed by the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. This option includes: * Protection against unilateral changes by the UK Parliament and Government * More constructive intergovernmental relations * More stable foundation for Welsh governance in the future * Potential expansion of devolved powers, including justice and policing. This option has been described as providing greater stability and requiring minimal changes for other countries of the UK. On 5 December 2022, The UK Labour party announced that if elected, they would reform the house of lords to form a Council of the Nations and Regions. They would also devolve to the Senedd; Jobcentre plus, youth justice & probation service and access to British Regional Investment Bank. This plan have been described as almost being like a federal state. Adam Price asked Mark Drakeford why devolution of justice was not in the Labour constitutional future report, saying “The Brown commission recommendation to devolve just youth justice and probation takes us back 10 years in the devolution debate in Wales". Mark Drakeford responded by saying he hoped the devolution of youth justice and probation was the "start of that process", "Of course, we want that process to go further".


Federalism

The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales proposes the following reform for this option: * The UK Parliament and Government’s responsibility for the UK is separate to England *
Reform of the House of Lords Certain governments in the United Kingdom have, for more than a century, attempted to find a way to reform the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This process was started by the Parliament Act 1911 introdu ...
* Devolved financial responsibility for taxation * Optional devolved financial responsibility for welfare Historically,
David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
felt that disestablishment, land reform and other forms of Welsh devolution could only be achieved if Wales formed its own government within a federal imperial system. The
Welsh Labour Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...
Party supports "far-reaching federalism" with powers equal Scotland and Northern Ireland. The powers suggested in their proposals include (amongst other suggestions): * The UK becomes a voluntary union of 4 nations * Devolution is permanent and cannot be undone without agreement from electorate * Equalised devolution across nations to match e.g Scotland * House of Lords reformed to reflect the make-up of the United Kingdom & protects the constitution and devolution * Each government determines and is held accountable for tax and spending priorities * Justice and policing devolved to Wales (as it is in Scotland and Northern Ireland)


Independence and confederation

A proposal has also been made for a UK confederation, where each constituent country of the UK is sovereign and agrees to a treaty and central senate/council which decides on a small number of central policies such as internal trade, currency, defence and foreign relations. Former first minister of Wales,
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Howell Jones (born 21 March 1967) is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the S ...
is reportedly a supporter of a Confederal system and has been working with
Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...
on his recommendations for a constitutional reform of the UK. There does not seem to be any evidence thus far to suggest that Brown's recommendations include a confederal-type model.


Proposed areas of devolution


Devo-max

A 2020 YouGov poll found that 59% of Welsh voters would be in favour of "devo-max". The question asked was “If there was a referendum tomorrow on the transferring of more powers to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), including control of tax and welfare, but excluding defence and foreign affairs, how would you vote? Should more powers be transferred to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament)?”.


Rail infrastructure

Rail infrastructure Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters * Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ...
funding is the responsibility of
Network Rail Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's leng ...
and the UK Government but there are calls from the Welsh Government and cross-party agreement in the Senedd for the devolution of rail infrastructure to Wales, according to
Ken Skates Kenneth Christian Skates MS (born 2 April 1976) is a Welsh Labour politician. Skates has represented the constituency of Clwyd South in the Senedd since the election of 2011. He is an alumnus of the University of Cambridge, and worked as a j ...
AM, Minister for Economy and Transport in a proposal for devolution document. The
Wales Governance Centre The Wales Governance Centre (WGC) () is a research centre and think-tank based Cardiff, Wales, which specialises in research into the law, politics, government and political economy of Wales, as well the wider territorial governance of the UK an ...
at Cardiff University has concluded that Wales could have had an additional £514 million for investment from 2011–12 and 2019-20 if rail infrastructure was devolved during this period. HS2's classification as an England and Wales project, whilst being entirely in England has also been used as a reason for rail infrastructure devolution.


Justice system


Justice

The Commission on Justice in Wales produced a report in 2019 assessing the justice system in Wales for the first time in over 200 years. The report was a damning criticism of the UK government's funding of justice in Wales, noting that the cuts to the justice budget by the UK government was "amongst the most severe of all departmental budget cuts". The report notes how the
Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
has used its own money to attempt to "mitigate the damaging effects of these policies". 40% of justice funding is contributed in Wales in addition to Welsh taxpayers money paid to Westminster which is redistributed back to Wales.The report determined that "justice should be determined and delivered in Wales". In summary, the report made the following recommendations: Justice responsibilities should be held by a single Welsh MS and department, form a Welsh Criminal Justice Board, Criminal justice data should be Wales specific and more detailed and increased utilisation of prison alternatives, particularly for women. The
Law Council of Wales The Law Council of Wales ( cy, Cyngor Cyfraith Cymru) is an organisation in Wales which promotes legal education, awareness of Welsh law, provision of teaching the law in Welsh and to assist students in law training. History The Law Council of W ...
was established following recommendations by the independent Commission of Justice in Wales in 2019 which set out the vision of the legal system in Wales. The commission was chaired by
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd Roger John Laugharne Thomas, Baron Thomas of Cwmgiedd, (born Carmarthen, 22 October 1947) is a British judge. He served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2013 to 2017. Early life and education Thomas was born in 1947 to Roger E ...
, former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. The Law Council of Wales was established for the purpose of promoting legal education, training and awareness in
Welsh law Welsh law ( cy, Cyfraith Cymru) is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd.Law Society of England and Wales (2019)England and Wales: A World Jurisdiction of Choice eport(Link accessed: 16 March 2022 ...
. The council also supports economic development and sustainability of law in Wales. The inaugural meeting was planned for November 2021. There been calls for justice be devolved to the Senedd by the Welsh Government, as outlined in their manifesto commitment. The government produced a document titled "Delivering justice for Wales" in May 2022. The publication says that devolution of justice to Wales is ‘inevitable’, and proposes the following "core components": * A focus on prevention and rehabilitation. * Reducing the prison population by pursuing alternatives to custody where appropriate. These include programmes to tackle mental health issues and support and treatment for drug and alcohol misuse. * Using a rights based approach to law and policy making, and further incorporation of internationally agreed rights into domestic law. In November 2022, Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader,
Liz Saville Roberts Elizabeth Saville Roberts (' Saville; born 16 December 1964) is a Welsh politician, currently serving as the group leader of Plaid Cymru in the House of Commons. She has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dwyfor Meirionnydd since the gene ...
also called for the devolution of justice to Wales in a parliament debate in Westminster. She stated ahead of the debate, "“Scotland, Northern Ireland, London, Manchester. All enjoy either full control, or a degree of devolved control of the delivery of justice." “Wales, on the hand, continues to be treated as an appendage to England despite overwhelming evidence of the harm that causes."


Police

Plaid Cymru support devolving powers over Welsh police forces to Wales, suggesting that the Welsh police forces would receive an additional £25million a year, equating to an additional 900 police officers. The Thomas commission and national media in Wales have also called for policing to be devolved. Policing is already devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Former first minister of Wales and current south Wales Police commissioner,
Alun Michael Alun Edward Michael (born 22 August 1943) is a Welsh Labour politician serving as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner since 2012. He served as Secretary of State for Wales from 1998 to 1999 and then as the first First Secretary of Wales ...
also supports devolution of policing and criminal justice system to Wales.


Further taxation and welfare powers

The Welsh government have also called for a vacant land tax to "incentivise developers to progress stalled developments to help provide high quality, safe and affordable housing." Sioned Williams,
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
MS has called for devolution of welfare powers to the Senedd in response to cuts to
Universal Credit Universal Credit is a United Kingdom social security payment. It is means-tested and is replacing and combining six benefits for working-age households with a low income: income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's ...
made by the UK government. Williams also suggested that full taxation powers should be devolved to the Senedd because "any reforms to tackle poverty that we undertake in Wales will always be limited" without full taxation powers. A study by the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University concluded that devolvement of welfare benefits to Wales could increase the Welsh budget by £200 million per annum. The cross-party equality committee of the Senedd also concluded in 2019 that devolution of said powers may create a more "compassionate" system. On the other hand,
first minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of ' ...
Mark Drakeford claims that Universal Credit is "better discharged" at a UK wide level and "part of the glue that holds the United Kingdom together" even after suggesting that the cuts to the welfare system by the UK government were "cruel and deliberate".


Broadcasting

A cross-party Senedd inquiry via a report by The Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee concludes that the Senedd should have increased control over how broadcasting is both regulated and funded. The chair of this committee, MS
Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed (née Jenkins, born 9 December 1981) is a Welsh politician. She represented the South Wales West (National Assembly for Wales electoral region), South Wales West Region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the Senedd from 2007 to 2021. ...
concluded that Wales does not have "the media it needs to function as a successful nation". This report included the following recommendations: Increased broadcasting powers devolved,
Ofcom The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
with the Welsh and UK governments should state how media can be improved, an impartial fund formed by the Welsh government for news, establishment of an independent funding commission including a Welsh representative (with consent from other UK nations), all Welsh-language broadcasting devolved, Welsh government control of the Channel 3 licence (ITV) in Wales with increased Welsh content and improved
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
feedback forum for improvement of BBC policies. In June 2022, the members of a new expert panel were announced for the devolution of communications and broadcasting powers to Wales as part of the co-operation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. It was revealed in November 2022 that former first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones was offered the devolution of S4C by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport at the time, Jeremy Hunt. Jones said that he could not agree to devolution of the channel because it was offered “without a budget and without a penny". The chair of
Cymdeithas yr Iaith The Welsh Language Society ( cy, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, often abbreviated to Cymdeithas yr Iaith or just Cymdeithas) is a direct action Advocacy group, pressure group in Wales campaigning for the right of Welsh people to use the Welsh lang ...
("The Language Society") said that Jones should have accepted the offer and explored other means of funding, adding, “It’s been obvious for years that the Westminster Government is not interested in S4C. In 2010 it cut S4C’s funding significantly and the channel’s funding now comes through the BBC; S4C also has to share a number of resources with the BBC. So it’s not much surprise Westminster wants to wash their hands of the channel."


Natural resources & Crown Estate

The
first minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of ' ...
, Mark Drakeford suggested that devolving the
Crown Estates The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch as a corporation sole, making it "the sovereign's public estate", which is neither government property nor part of the monarch's priva ...
in Wales to the Welsh government could enable the government to harness the
renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
potential in Wales saying, “Geography is on our side. If you're on the west side of the UK, you have the prevailing winds. We are surrounded on three sides by water.” Liz Saville Roberts MP, leader of Plaid Cymru in Westminster, suggested that devolving these estates could “bring half a billion pounds worth of offshore wind and tidal stream potential under Welsh control." On 21 June 2021, Roberts presented the "Crown Estate (Devolution to Wales) Bill" to the UK Parliament saying this would “devolve management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales to the Welsh Government”.
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
said that this would "fragment the market, complicate existing processes and make it more difficult for Wales and the rest of the UK to move forward to net-zero”. A petition to transfer powers over the £500m Crown Estate to the Senedd gathered over 10,000 signatures by February 2022. The "Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee" of the Senedd published a report on 22 February 2022 recommending the devolution of the Crown Estate and using its income to combat climate change. In August 2022, over 5,000 people signed a petition calling for control of Welsh natural resources including water, electricity and the crown estate in Wales to be devolved to the Senedd.


Bank holidays

There are proposals for the powers concerning bank holidays to be devolved to Wales.
St David's Day Saint David's Day ( cy, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant or ; ), or the Feast of Saint David, is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March, the date of Saint David's death in 589 AD. The feast has been regularly celebr ...
(1 March) is Wales'
patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
day and, like England's
St George's Day Saint George's Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, and cities of which he is the patron saint, including Bulgaria, England, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Cáceres, Alcoy, Aragon and Catalonia. Sa ...
, is not currently a bank holiday. Powers over bank holidays are devolved in Scotland, with their patron saint day,
St Andrew's Day Saint Andrew's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Andrew or Andermas, is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle. It is celebrated on 30 November (according to Gregorian calendar) and on 13 December (according to Julian calendar). Saint Andrew is ...
, being a bank holiday, with Northern Ireland also having a bank holiday for
St Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
. In 2022, over 10,000 people signed an online e-petition to the UK Parliament for St David's Day to be a bank holiday.


Energy firm taxation and regulation

In 2022,
Adam Price Adam Robert Price (born 23 September 1968) is a Welsh politician serving as the Leader of Plaid Cymru since 2018. , he has sat in the Senedd for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, having previously been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Carmart ...
, leader of Plaid Cymru, suggested that the power to tax and regulate energy firms should be devolved to Wales in the wake of the energy price crisis in the UK and a 54% rise in energy price cap. Mark Drakeford, although agreeing with the sentiment that the price cap should be lowered, believed that it was a matter of getting a UK government to "do the right thing".


Equality (Equality Act 2010)

Plaid Cymru have called for devolution of the equality act in their manifesto in order to the Senedd to ensure better provisions for equality and representation.


Restrictions

The UK Parliament passed the UK Internal Market Act in 2020 which "directly constrains devolution" according to the Scottish Government. The actions of the Act are described in a report by Scottish MSP, Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs; The act allows goods sold in one part of the UK to be automatically accepted in the rest of the UK, despite differing devolved rules. The act can also cause the regulation of service in one part of the UK to be recognised across the whole UK. The act allows UK ministers to spend on devolved policies without the approval of the devolved parliament. The
Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
has voiced concerns over the
United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in December 2020. It is concerned with trade within the UK, as the UK is no longer subject to EU law. The act seeks to prevent internal trade b ...
, passed by the UK Parliament, describing its passing as an "attack on its competence". It launched a request for
judicial review Judicial review is a process under which executive, legislative and administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A court with authority for judicial review may invalidate laws, acts and governmental actions that are incompat ...
of the act, which was rejected on the ground of being premature by the divisional court. As of February 2022, the Welsh government awaited an appeal of the divisional court's decision.


Political party position on devolution

The following parties support Welsh independence: *
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
(including further devolution) *
Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW; cy, Plaid Werdd Cymru a Lloegr, kw, Party Gwer Pow an Sowson ha Kembra, often simply the Green Party or Greens) is a green, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Since October 2021, Carla ...
**
Wales Green Party The Wales Green Party ( cy, Plaid Werdd Cymru) is a semi-autonomous political party within the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW). It covers Wales, and is the only regional party with semi-autonomous status within the GPEW. The Wales Green ...
(including further devolution) *
Gwlad Gwlad ( in Welsh) is a centre-right Welsh nationalist and pro-independence political party. Its current leader is Gwyn Wigley Evans. Background In late 2017, a preliminary meeting held by Royston Jones in Aberystwyth over the formation of a ...
The following parties support national sovereignty for Wales: *
Propel Propel or propelling may refer to: * Propulsion, to push forward or drive an object forward * Samsung A767 Propel, a mobile phone ** Samsung i627 Propel Pro * Propel Fitness Water, a drink from the makers of Gatorade * Propel (PHP), an object-rela ...
The following parties support further devolution, as well as reform/federalism of the United Kingdom: * Labour Party **
Welsh Labour Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...
* Liberal Democrats **
Welsh Liberal Democrats The Welsh Liberal Democrats ( cy, Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru) are a branch of the United Kingdom Liberal Democrats that operates in Wales. The party is led by Jane Dodds, who served as MP for Brecon and Radnorshire from August to Decemb ...
The following parties support the current devolution system as it stands: *
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
**
Welsh Conservatives The Welsh Conservatives ( cy, Ceidwadwyr Cymreig) is the branch of the United Kingdom Conservative Party that operates in Wales. At Westminster elections, it is the second most popular political party in Wales, having obtained the second-large ...
The following parties support reduced or the abolishment of devolution: *
UK Independence Party The UK Independence Party (UKIP; ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of Parliament and was the largest par ...
*
Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party ( cy, Plaid Diddymu Cynulliad Cymru), or in Wales, simply Abolish, is a registered single issue political party in Wales. It campaigns for the abolition of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; ), formerly known as th ...


Referendum results and opinion polling


Summary graph of support for more devolved powers

Note: On the 4th of March 2011, a majority of 63.5% voted to devolve lawmaking powers for the areas already devolved to the Senedd.


See also

*
List of movements in Wales This is a list of historical and current movements, campaigns and political positions in Wales. Current Political * All Under One Banner Cymru * Campaign for a new UK flag * Labour for an independent Wales * Opposition to the Prince of Wal ...
*
Welsh independence Welsh independence ( cy, Annibyniaeth i Gymru) is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the ki ...
*
Devolution in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, devolution is the Parliament of the United Kingdom's statutory granting of a greater level of self-government to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), the Northern Ireland Assembly and the London Asse ...
*
Unionism in Wales Unionism in Wales is the political view that supports a political union between Wales and the other countries of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Northern Ireland). As well as the current state of the UK, unionism may also include suppor ...
*
Scottish devolution Devolution is the process in which the central British parliament grants administrative powers (excluding principally reserved matters) to the devolved Scottish Parliament. Prior to the advent of devolution, some had argued for a Scottish ...
*
Senedd The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
* 1979 Welsh devolution referendum * 1997 Welsh devolution referendum * 2011 Welsh devolution referendum *
Welsh law Welsh law ( cy, Cyfraith Cymru) is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd.Law Society of England and Wales (2019)England and Wales: A World Jurisdiction of Choice eport(Link accessed: 16 March 2022 ...
*
Wales Act 1978 The Wales Act 1978 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to introduce a limited measure of self-government in Wales through the creation of a Welsh Assembly. The act never took effect as a result of the "no" vote in 1979 We ...


References

{{reflist Devolution in the United Kingdom Welsh devolution Political history of Wales Campaigns and movements in Wales