Welsh devolution

Welsh devolution (Welsh: ''Datganoli i Gymru'') is the transfer of legislative power for self-governance to Wales by the Government of the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered by England during the 13th century; the 1284 Statute of Rhuddlan caused Wales to lose its de facto independence and formed the constitutional basis for it as a principality in the "Realm of England". The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 applied English law to Wales and united the Principality and the Marches which effectively ended both and incorporated Wales into England. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 defined "England" to include Wales until the Welsh Language Act 1967, 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. 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 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 National Assembly was renamed "Senedd Cymru" (in Welsh) and the "Welsh Parliament" (in English) (also collectively referred to as the "Senedd"), which was seen as a better reflection of the body's expanded legislative powers.

The Welsh Labour Party advocates for further Welsh devolution and "far-reaching federalism" with powers equal Scotland and Northern Ireland, whilst the Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru has described devolution as a stepping stone towards full Welsh independence.

History

English rule

Edward I of England invaded Wales in 1276-77 following disputes with Welsh sovereign Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (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 in 1284. The statute was a constitutional change causing Wales to lose its de facto independence and formed the Principality of Wales within the "Realm of England". The name refers to Rhuddlan Castle in Denbighshire, where it was first promulgated on 19 March 1284. The statute confirmed the annexation of Wales and introduced English common law to Wales for criminal cases, while civil cases were still dealt with under the Welsh laws of Hywel Dda.

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 introduced the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 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 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 Lordships 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 Wales and Berwick Act 1746 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 was the first legislation to acknowledge that Wales had a separate politico-legal character from the rest of the English state. David Lloyd George, MP for Caernarfon at the time (and future prime minister), was devoted to Welsh devolution early in his career, starting with the Church in Wales. 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 was passed giving the Church in Wales 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 proposed "Home Rule 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 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 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 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.

Formation of Welsh national institutions

The late 19th saw the formation of a number of national institutions: 1861 - National Eisteddfod of Wales, 1876 - Football Association of Wales, 1881 - Welsh Rugby Union and in 1893 - University of Wales.

In 1896, Education in Wales 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 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 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, 1915 - Welsh Guards, 1919 - Welsh Board of Health, 1920 - The Church in Wales was disestablished and separated from the Church of England through the Welsh Church Act 1914, 1925 - Plaid Cymru. 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 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 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 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 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 (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, daughter of former Prime minister and campaigner for Welsh devolution, David Lloyd George 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 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 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 for Wales. A post of Minister of Welsh Affairs was created in 1951 under the home secretary and was promoted to minister of state 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 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 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, Gwynfor Evans 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. This act repealed a provision in the Wales and Berwick Act 1746 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 (March 1st), 1979 Welsh devolution referendum was held on a National Assembly for Wales but came at the end of the Winter of Discontent 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 with 51.6% in favour.

The Welsh Language Act 1993 provided a new law for public organisations in Wales to have bilingual schemes, which would be supervised by the Welsh Language Board. 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 and Thatcherite 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". A succession of non-Welsh Conservative Secretaries of State after 1987 was portrayed by opponents as 'colonial' and indicative of a ' democratic deficit'.

In the early 1990s, Labour became committed to devolution to both Scotland and Wales, and in 1997 it was elected with a mandate to hold referendums on a Scottish Parliament 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. 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 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 and at least 20 national institutions including the Education and Learning Wales, Environment Agency Wales and the Welsh Language Board. The National Assembly for Wales 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, 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 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. 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 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, 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. 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 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 Tax Collection and Management (Wales) Act 2016 was passed by the National Assembly to facilitate the financial powers of the Wales Act 2014. The Land Transaction Tax (replacing Stamp Duty) and the Landfill Disposal Tax were the very first two devolved taxes. In 2019, over £2 billion of income tax was devolved to the Senedd.
The Wales Act 2017 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 National Assembly for Wales was renamed " Senedd Cymru" or "the Welsh Parliament", commonly known as the "Senedd" 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 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 and Dr Rowan Williams 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

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
* Devolved financial responsibility for taxation
* Optional devolved financial responsibility for welfare

Historically, David Lloyd George 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 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 is reportedly a supporter of a Confederal system and has been working with Gordon Brown 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 funding is the responsibility of Network Rail 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 AM, Minister for Economy and Transport in a proposal for devolution document. The Wales Governance Centre 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 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 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, 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. 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 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 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 MS has called for devolution of welfare powers to the Senedd in response to cuts to Universal Credit 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 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 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 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 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 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, Mark Drakeford suggested that devolving the Crown Estates in Wales to the Welsh government could enable the government to harness the 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 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 (1 March) is Wales' patron saint day and, like England's St George's Day, is not currently a bank holiday. Powers over bank holidays are devolved in Scotland, with their patron saint day, St Andrew's Day, being a bank holiday, with Northern Ireland also having a bank holiday for St Patrick's Day. 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, 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 has voiced concerns over the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, passed by the UK Parliament, describing its passing as an "attack on its competence". It launched a request for judicial review 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 (including further devolution)
*Green Party of England and Wales
** Wales Green Party (including further devolution)
* Gwlad
The following parties support national sovereignty for Wales:
* Propel
The following parties support further devolution, as well as reform/federalism of the United Kingdom:
* Labour Party
**Welsh Labour
* Liberal Democrats
**Welsh Liberal Democrats
The following parties support the current devolution system as it stands:
*Conservative Party
**Welsh Conservatives
The following parties support reduced or the abolishment of devolution:
*UK Independence Party
* Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party

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
* Welsh independence
* Devolution in the United Kingdom
* Unionism in Wales
* Scottish devolution
* Senedd
* 1979 Welsh devolution referendum
* 1997 Welsh devolution referendum
* 2011 Welsh devolution referendum
* Welsh law
* Wales Act 1978

References

{{reflist

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