First Minister Rhodri Morgan

The Richard Commission has called for more powers to be given to the National Assembly for Wales.

Two years after it first convened, the commission, headed by former Lords leader Lord Richard, proposed improvements to the current devolution arrangements.

The commission has recommended increased autonomy in the principality.

It said that it is desirable, though not essential, to confer tax-raising powers on the assembly.

It also suggested increasing the size of the assembly from 60 to 80.

To handle the expansion, the assembly's membership should be elected by STV, the commission decided.

It has also pushed for a reconstitution of the assembly with a separate legislature and executive.

It has proposed that its recommendations should be in place by 2011.

Launching the report, Lord Richard said: "We unanimously concluded that the assembly needs more powers in order to address Wales's needs and priorities most effectively and to be directly accountable to the people of Wales.

"We believe that these changes will also play a crucial part in strengthening public engagement with the assembly."

However, he added that "practical experience suggests that there will still need to be a significant programme of England and Wales legislation at Westminster – so the partnership with Whitehall and Westminster will continue to be vital".

The Welsh Conservatives insisted that the public must vote in a referendum before the assembly is given law-making or tax raising powers.

The Welsh Lib Dems welcomed the clear vision presented by the commission

Alarmed

The commission, which included Ted Rowlands, ex-MP for Merthyr and a former minister, was reportedly alarmed by the complexity of the legislative tangle left by the Government of Wales Act.

The chances of the recommendations making it into law depend on the support of ministers and the willingness of Welsh assembly members to rally behind the report and push for its implementation.

First minister Rhodri Morgan has expressed his enthusiasm for greater devolution, but some Labour MPs remain doubtful.