ePolitix Dods
  • Log-out
  • Logged-in as: Sue Perkins
  • Home
  • Policy
  • Legislation
  • The 1832 Blog
  • Events
  • Member Directory
    • Parliament & Government
    • Education
    • Health
    • Home Affairs
    • Culture
    • International & Defence
    • Energy & Environment
    • Economy
    • Transport
    • Science & Tech

    Power transfer to Cardiff Bay should be 'all at once'

    Bookmark and Share

    Member News

    BHA pays tribute to humanist former MPs

    Small firms urgently need post-election certainty, warns business group

    MPs and legal aid

    Protocol between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission for England and Wales

    Parliament must review the way it makes tax law, says Law Society

    18th November 2009

    There should be a wholesale transfer of power from Westminster to the National Assembly for Wales, according to a new report.

    Today the All Wales Convention, chaired by Sir Emyr Jones Parry, formally presented its report on the future governance of Wales to first minister Rhodri Morgan and deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

    It concluded there is "substantial advantage" in transferring powers all at once rather than the current arrangements, where powers are transferred step by step with the approval of the UK Parliament.

    "Transferring powers all at once would offer greater efficiency, permit a more strategic approach to the drafting of the legislation, provide greater clarity and be more consistent with the rule of law and democratic tradition," the report concluded.

    Compiled by the chair and a 16-strong executive committee, the 130 page report contains recommendations include creating a 'one stop shop' where lawyers and members of the public can access an up to date record of the law that applies in Wales.

    The report also called for a reduction of the "bureaucratic load" on local authorities, and a more sustained effort with regards to scrutiny of laws that apply in Wales.

    The all at once option to transfer of powers would only come into effect if there were a 'yes' vote in a referendum on the issue.

    "The question at the heart of the debate was complex and it soon became clear that it wasn't well understood at all," Sir Emyr said.

    "It was important that people were aware of what was on the table - we were not talking about the scale of law-making powers afforded to Scotland.

    "The National Assembly for Wales would, in the event of a successful referendum, only be entitled to increased powers across the 20 defined areas of Welsh life set out in the Government of Wales Act 2006."

    Sir Emyr said the report was the result of "one of the most wide-ranging and exhaustive public consultations of its kind and the people of Wales have spoken".

    The report found that current arrangements for giving the assembly law-making powers through legislative competence orders or LCOs were seen as cumbersome and slow.

    The parallel route for giving the National Assembly powers through framework provisions in UK Parliamentary Bills was seen to be problematic.

    Although potentially quicker than the LCO route, this process was seen as being subject to less scrutiny than LCOs, and most importantly not scrutinised by the National Assembly at all.

    "Having the powers all at once offers distinct advantages, and can only be obtained through a 'yes' vote in a referendum," Sir Emyr said.

    "If that happened, it would give particular legitimacy to the National Assembly for Wales."

    He added that if a referendum is to go ahead before the May 2011 assembly elections, a decision should be taken on whether to call a referendum ideally no later than June 2010.

    Bookmark and Share

    Have your say...

    Please enter your comments below.

    Name

    Your e-mail address


    Listen to audio version

    Please type in the letters or numbers shown above (case sensitive)

    Related News

    Conservative minister reveals he is gay

    Samantha Cameron gives birth to baby girl

    Lib Dems not 'glorifed Electoral Reform Society'

    MPs 'should be sponsored'

    Politicians are the least trusted profession



    Latest news

    Ministers warned 'not to mess' with construction industry

    Politicians "fail to see the link" between construction and the economy the industry has warned, as better than expected GDP figures are attributed to the sector.


    Conservative minister reveals he is gay

    Conservative justice minister Crispin Blunt has revealed he is gay and is separating from his wife.


    Balls: Coalition cuts 'unfair and unnecessary'

    Ed Balls has warned the coalition risks tipping the country into a double dip recession as a result of its “heartless and wrong-headed” program of cuts.


    Spending review could be perfect storm for colleges


    Unite leaders urge 400,000 to vote Ed Miliband


    John Cruddas backs David Miliband


    Emergency Budget measures 'regressive'


    "The Papal visit should not be a state visit"


    More from ePolitix.com


    RSS feeds

    • News
    • MP articles
    • Peer articles
    • Researcher articles
    • Legislation

    Policy

    • Education
    • Health
    • Home Affairs
    • Culture
    • More...

    Archives

    • MP articles
    • Peer articles
    • Member articles
    • Blog posts
    • ePolitix.com comment

    The House Magazine

    • About the magazine
    • Contact the magazine
    • Advertising
    • Subscriptions
    • Articles archive
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertising opportunities
    • About our Members
    • Services for parliamentarians
    • Sign up for free politics bulletins

    More from Dods


    • Dods.co.uk
    • Dods people
    • Dods monitoring
    • Dods Events
    • Dods Training
    • Public affairs news
    • The Parliament
    • Public sector delivery
    • Westminster briefing
    • The House magazine
    • Civil Service Network
    • ePolitix
    • Euro Source
    • Civil Service Live
    • The training Journal
    Dods logo
    © Dods Ltd 2010