First Minister Rhodri Morgan, Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones and Chairman of the Convention Sir Emyr Jones Parry this week launched the All-Wales Convention's new website, as well as announcing the beginning of an open competition to recruit four of the Commission Executive Committee's 16 members. The other members will be drawn from the four main political parties in Wales, as well as through nominations from key Welsh organisations such as the Wales TUC, the CBI and the WLGA.

History has been made at the National Assembly for Wales this week with the passing of the first ever Assembly Measure, the NHS Redress (Wales) Measure 2007. The Measure will make it easier and quicker for patients to claim compensation when treatment provided by the NHS in Wales has been negligent.  

This is the first ever piece of primary legislation made by the National Assembly, the first Welsh law to be passed since Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) passed laws in the tenth century and the first bilingual law ever to be passed in Britain.

The Measure will now be submitted to HM The Queen for approval by Her Majesty in Council.  Once Royal Approval is received the Measure will become law in Wales.

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, The Assembly’s Presiding Officer said: “I am proud to have chaired the first ever final stage debate on a proposed Assembly Measure and to have overseen the passing of the first law to be made in Wales since the days of Hywel Dda. That this has happened within a year of the Government of Wales Act becoming law is a tribute to the Assembly and Welsh Ministers and to the UK Parliament – all have shown themselves willing and able to rise to the task of making the new legislative process work.  

“I am pleased with the way we have risen to the challenges of the new law-making Constitution of Wales since last May. We have seen the introduction of Measures, and a series of Proposed Legislative Orders, to obtain powers, by Welsh Ministers and by individual AMs.”

(From the NAfW website)

• The number of AMs:  The 2006 Act leaves the number of Assembly Members at 60, and provides no mechanism for increasing the number to take account of the Assembly’s increased responsibility. The National Assembly has few members in comparison to other similar bodies, including those in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the Richard Commission recommended that there should be 80 AMs in a legislative Assembly.
  
• The role of the Secretary of State: Under the 2006 Act, the Secretary of State for Wales will retain the right to attend and participate in Assembly proceedings and receive all papers and documents. The Secretary of State for Scotland has no such powers regarding the Scottish Parliament. Once devolution of legislative powers is achieved, there is no justification for such a prerogative, which could be used by a hostile UK government to interfere in devolved affairs.
  
• A Separate Legal Jurisdiction for Wales: as Wales uses its powers to do different things compared to England and a body of distinctive Welsh law builds up, it will become increasingly difficult to make the single ‘England and Wales’ jurisdiction work. Creating a separate legal jurisdiction for Wales, as exists for Scotland and Northern Ireland, would resolve these problems.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German has declared his party's support for a 'yes' vote in a referendum on further powers for the National Assembly for Wales, but not if that referendum were to be held on the same day as the 2011 Welsh General Election.

Mr German said: 'It is clear to me that holding a referendum on the same day as the election is the worst possible way forward for Wales. Voters would see parties campaigning together for more powers, while attacking each other on every other issue.'

In Mr German's view, cross party co-operation is the key factor in achieving a 'yes' vote, but said that his efforts to arrange an early meeting of all four main parties had been 'thwarted' by the Labour/Plaid coalition, despite Conservative leader Nick Bourne being supportive of such a meeting. Mr German said though that Rhodri Morgan and Ieuan Wyn Jones had informed him that 'such a meeting would be better held once the Establishing Committee (for the Emyr-Jones Parry Convention) has completed its work.'

According to Mr German however, 'no time should be lost in setting the groundwork for a 'yes' campaign, and I will be pressing this again as soon as the Establishing Committee reports.' 

 

The first Assembly Measure has completed the first stage of progress, with the Assembly reaching agreement on the general principles of the proposed NHS Redress (Wales) Measure 2007 during Plenary on Tuesday (January 29). Now that the general principles of the Measure have been agreed, stage two of the process, which officially began the day after the completion of stage one, will scrutinise the measure in greater detail.

Tomorrow’s Wales issues this statement as an independent body which has a broad base of support, committed to ensuring government for Wales which is democratic, responsible and accountable to the people of Wales.  

During 2008, a national Convention, chaired by Sir Emyr Jones Parry, will start its work.  It has been set up under the One Wales coalition agreement to prepare for a referendum on giving Wales full law-making powers, as envisaged in the Government of Wales Act 2006.

Tomorrow’s Wales is eager to cooperate with the Convention and to continue to work with civil society across Wales in building a democratic, responsible and accountable framework for the government of Wales, in which the division of powers between Parliament and the National Assembly is clear and transparent.

In the context of this historic development, Tomorrow’s Wales/Cymru Yfory:

• welcomes the commitment of the One Wales Government to a referendum to bring into force the primary law-making powers set out in the Government of Wales Act 2006;

• calls on the National Assembly and the Welsh Assembly Government to use all the existing powers available to it to their maximum potential, as well as seeking the comprehensive range of legislative powers that will help to improve the lives of the people of Wales, taking into account developments across the whole of the UK;

• urges the National Assembly to inform civil society throughout Wales regularly of the steps it has taken, and of any difficulties it encounters, in ensuring the full implementation of the new Act;

• welcomes the establishment of the Convention, to be chaired by Sir Emyr Jones Parry, and calls on it to consult widely with civil society throughout Wales to promote better understanding of the issues involved and to broaden support for a clearer and more transparent legislative framework that meets the needs of Wales in the 21st century. 

Tomorrow’s Wales will itself organise a series of consultation sessions/seminars during 2008 drawing on the Richard Report as a point of reference.  It will also monitor closely and comment on the implementation of the legislative arrangements now coming into effect, to ensure they are used effectively, in accordance with established principles of representative government, and with respect for the autonomy of the National Assembly in carrying out its responsibilities assigned under the Act.

We invite all those who approve the views and intentions of Tomorrow’s Wales as set out above to express their support.

Tomorrow’s Wales 

Tomorrow’s Wales was established in 2004 to encourage support for the broad thrust of the recommendations of the Richard Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales. It is chaired by the Archbishop of Wales, The Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan. Since 2004 the movement has sought to keep the Richard recommendations on the political agenda. It has also succeeded in connecting with and informing civil society concerning constitutional change in Wales and the opportunities for engagement with government and the National Assembly under the new powers granted through the Government of Wales Act 2006.

The National Assembly for Wales returns from recess in two weeks, and among the first duties AMs will perform is to scrutinise three Proposed Legislative Competence Orders (LCOs) that have already been laid before them.

The LCO is a new device introduced under the Government of Wales Act 2006, by which legislative power over specific matters can be transferred to the Assembly from the Westminster Parliament. This is done by amending Schedule 5 of the Act, which lists the legislative competences of the Assembly in twenty policy fields. An LCO does not in itself introduce legislation for Wales; rather, it provides the means for the Assembly to introduce legislation within the legislative parameters set out by the LCO. Draft LCOs must be approved by the Assembly and by both Houses of Parliament before the powers are transferred.

While an LCO can be proposed by either the Welsh Assembly Government, Assembly Committees or individual members, all three currently before the Assembly have come from the Government. They are:

Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) Order 2007 (Relating to Additional Learning Needs)

This is the first ever LCO to be laid before the Assembly, and it will give the National Assembly the power to legislate on the matter of additional learning needs. You can read the proposed LCO and a document explaining its purpose here.

All Proposed LCOs must be scrutinised by specially formed committees, and the Proposed Additional Learning Needs LCO Committee met for the first time on 12 July 2007.

The Committee has launched a public consultation on the LCO, invited comments from the public on both the principle and specific content of the LCO. Responses must be made by Friday 21 September. Click here for more details on how to contribute.

Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (No.2) Order 2007 (Relating to Environmental Protection and Waste Management)

This Proposed LCO will allow the Assembly to legislate on matters of environmental protection and waste management. You can read the proposed LCO and a document explaining its purpose here.

The Proposed Evironmental protection and Waste Management LCO Committee has launched a public consultation on the LCO, invited comments from the public on both the principle and specific content of the LCO. Responses must be made by Friday 21 September. Click here for more details on how to contribute.

Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (No.3) Order 2007 (Relating to Vulnerable Children and Child Poverty)

This proposed LCO is very wide-ranging and includes proposals to transfer to the Assembly the power to make laws on fostering and adoption and on social care for children. Such broad definition of its scope could make the passage of this LCO through Westminster particularly interesting.

A Committee will be established by the Assembly in the near future to scrutinise the LCO. In the meantime, the proposed Order and an explanoratry document can be read here.

We are pleased to announce that Sir Jeremy Beecham has agreed to address the Tomorrow's Wales Conference 'The Emerging Assembly' on the 20th November 2006 at Cardiff University Conference Centre, Penylan.

The list of invited guests now includes:
* Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM;
* Author of the "Beyond Boundaries" Report Sir Jeremy Beecham;
* Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Wales Nick Ainger MP;
* Welsh Assembly Government Business Minister Jane Hutt AM;
* Chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Orders Committee Jenny Randerson AM.
* Distinguished Research Fellow of Cardiff Law School David Lambert and Principal Researcher Marie Navarro

Breakout sessions in the afternoon will also provide opportunities to explore the impact of the Government of Wales Act on a thematic basis.

Click here to access the latest information on the day's programme and to download the conference booking form.

If you need to know about the powers of the Assembly Post May 2007, changes in responsibilities, new Assembly procedures and structures, and the potential impact on your sector and organisation, the conference will be of interest to you.

The conference costs £75 (£55 conc)
 
Only completed registrations forms guarantee conference entry – previous expressions of interest are not valid.

Programme details and the booking form for the Cymru Yfory / Tomorrow’s Wales conference The Emerging Assembly are now available.
Taking place on November 20th in Cardiff, the prestigious line-up includes Presiding Officer Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Wales Nick Ainger MP, Welsh Assembly Government Business Minister Jane Hutt AM and Jenny Randerson AM, Chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Orders Committee. Breakout sessions in the afternoon will provide opportunities to explore the impact of the Government of Wales Act on a thematic basis.
If you need to know about the powers of the Assembly Post May 2007, changes in responsibilities, new Assembly procedures and structures, and the potential impact on your sector and organisation, the conference will be of interest to you.

Click here to access the documents.

The conference costs £75 (£55 conc)

Only completed registrations forms guarantee conference entry – previous expressions of interest are not valid.

The verbatim transcript of the meeting is available to read here.

A paper detailing the likely procedure for Orders in Council has been produced by David Lambert and Marie Navarro of Cardiff Law School.
This process will apply to law-making arrangements in Wales following May 2007's Assembly Elections following the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006.
Read: Procedure for Orders in Council

Tomorrow's Wales today welcomed the passing of the Government of Wales bill as a key milestone in ensuring full primary law making powers for the National Assembly for Wales.

Working closely with Lords during the Bill's passage through parliament, the movement emphasised the need to ensure a settlement for Wales which embraces public participation, is transparent, and provides proper scrutiny to deliver quality legislation for the benefit of Wales.

Commenting today Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales said:

"Tomorrow's Wales exists to promote the key recommendations of the Richard Commission report - Wales deserves and needs primary law making powers. We are now in a race against time to ensure that Wales is ready for this, the latest development in its constitutional journey. New members have recently been brought onto our Executive Committee as we recognise that we now need to change our focus away from the Parliamentary process and towards raising awareness of the nature of the new structures of Welsh governance in Wales in general."

The emphasis will now turn to encouraging the people of Wales as well as members of the National Assembly to make effective and creative use of the new powers vested in the National Assembly, paving the way for the formal transmission of primary law making powers as soon as possible.

Tomorrow's Wales now calls for:
*the Assembly and Assembly Government to ensure that there is capacity within the institution to develop policy and draft legislation, to draft the Assembly's timetable in such a way as to enable thorough and proper scrutiny of legislation
*the political parties of Wales develop policy programmes specific to and making the most of the new arrangements for 2007
*Welsh communities, faith communities and civic society to engage with the process also, mindful of the opportunities for policy development which will now arise following the 2007 election.

A programme of activity including consultation with Welsh organisations and participation at national summer events is underway with a view to widening the discussion, ensuring understanding and encouraging participation in Welsh political and legislative life after the 2007 election.

Notes to editors:
Members of the Executive, acting in a personal capacity:

Mr Siôn Brynach M.Litt Oxon
Mr Deian Creunant
Mr Cynog Dafis
Mr Gerald Davies
Parch Aled Edwards OBE
Ms Philippa Ford
Mr Michael German OBE AM
Mr Milwyn Jarman QC
Mr Saleem Kidwai OBE
Mr David Lambert
Mr Gethin Lewis
Lord Richard Livsey of Talgarth
Ms Katie-Jo Luxton
Mr David Melding AM
Parchedicaf Ddr Barry Morgan
Lord Elystan Morgan
Mr Jon Owen Jones
Mr Paul O'Shea
Mr Mike Ponton
Mr Peter Price
Most Rev Peter Smith Archbishop of Cardiff
Mr Geraint Talfan Davies
Mr Alan Trench
Mr Paul Valerio
Parch Gethin Abraham Williams

ENDS
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Dr Non Gwilym on 07779 645599.