All Topics  
Government of Wales Act 2006

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Government of Wales Act 2006
 
 
  Topics Government of Wales Act 2006 Topic Home

The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act
Act of Parliament

An act of Parliament is a statute wikt:enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an act of Congress in the United States....
 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislature in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories....
 that reforms the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act creates a system of government with a separate executive drawn from and accountable to the legislature.

The Act has the following provisions:



The bill received Royal Assent
Royal Assent

The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarchy completes the legislative process of lawmaking by formally assenting to an Act of Parliament....
 on 25 July 2006.

Schedule 5 of the Act
Schedule 5 of the Act describes the 20 "Fields" and "Matters" in which the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 has Legislative competence i.e.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Government of Wales Act 2006'
Start a new discussion about 'Government of Wales Act 2006'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act
Act of Parliament

An act of Parliament is a statute wikt:enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an act of Congress in the United States....
 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislature in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories....
 that reforms the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act creates a system of government with a separate executive drawn from and accountable to the legislature.

The Act has the following provisions:

  • creates an executive body — the Welsh Assembly Government
    Welsh Assembly Government

    The Welsh Assembly Government was firstly an executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of the First Minister of Wales and his Cabinet from 1999 to 2007....
     - that is separate from the legislative body, that is, the National Assembly for Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government is therefore altered from being a committee of the National Assembly to being a distinct body
  • forbids candidates both contesting constituencies and being on a regional list
  • provides a mechanism for Orders in Council
    Legislative Competency Order

    In Wales, a Legislative Competence Order is a piece of constitutional legislation in the form of an Order-in-Council. It transfers legislative authority from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the National Assembly for Wales....
     to delegate power from Parliament to the Assembly, which will the give the Assembly powers to make "Measures
    Assembly Measures

    A Measure of the National Assembly for Wales is primary legislation in Wales that is a category lower than an Act of Parliament. In the case of Contemporary Welsh Law, the difference with Acts is that the competence to pass Measures is subject to 'LCOs' or Legislative Competence Order, which transfers powers to the Assembly by amending Sched...
    " (Welsh Laws). Schedule 5 of the Act describes the fields in which the assembly has Measure making powers.
  • provides for a referendum
    Referendums in the United Kingdom

    Referendums are only occasionally held by the government of the United Kingdom. Nine referendums have been held so far , the first in 1973; only one of these covered the whole UK....
     for further legislature competencies, to be known as "Acts of the Assembly"
  • creates a Welsh Seal
    Seal (device)

    A seal can mean a wax seal bearing an impressed figure, or an embossed figure in paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document, but the term can also mean any device for making such impressions or embossments, essentially being a Molding that has the mirror image of the figure in counter-relief, such as mounted on rings known a...
     and a Keeper of the Welsh Seal (the First Minister)
  • creates a Welsh Consolidated Fund
    Consolidated Fund

    Consolidated Fund or the Consolidated Revenue Fund is the term used for the main bank account of the government in many of the countries in the Commonwealth of Nations....
  • creates the post of Counsel General as a member of the Welsh Assembly Government and its chief legal adviser.
  • assigns to the Queen new functions of formally appointing Welsh ministers and granting Royal Assent
    Royal Assent

    The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarchy completes the legislative process of lawmaking by formally assenting to an Act of Parliament....
     to Acts of the Assembly.


The bill received Royal Assent
Royal Assent

The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarchy completes the legislative process of lawmaking by formally assenting to an Act of Parliament....
 on 25 July 2006.

Schedule 5 of the Act


Schedule 5 of the Act describes the 20 "Fields" and "Matters" in which the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 has Legislative competence i.e. the ability to pass Assembly Measures
Assembly Measures

A Measure of the National Assembly for Wales is primary legislation in Wales that is a category lower than an Act of Parliament. In the case of Contemporary Welsh Law, the difference with Acts is that the competence to pass Measures is subject to 'LCOs' or Legislative Competence Order, which transfers powers to the Assembly by amending Sched...
. A 'Field' is a broad subject area, e.g. education and training; environment; health and health services; highways and transport; housing. A 'Matter' is a specific defined policy area within a Field. The assembly can gain further legislative competence by the amendment of Schedule 5 by Legislative Competency Order
Legislative Competency Order

In Wales, a Legislative Competence Order is a piece of constitutional legislation in the form of an Order-in-Council. It transfers legislative authority from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the National Assembly for Wales....
s (LCOs). LCOs amend the 20 "Fields" by inserting specific "Matters" into each "Field". The Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government

The Welsh Assembly Government was firstly an executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of the First Minister of Wales and his Cabinet from 1999 to 2007....
 has competence to pass secondary legislation in any of the Fields.

Fields of Schedule 5


  • Field 1: agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development
  • Field 2: ancient monuments and historic buildings
  • Field 3: culture
  • Field 4: economic development
  • Field 5: education and training
  • Field 10: highways and transport
  • Field 11: housing
  • Field 12: local government
  • Field 13: National Assembly for Wales
  • Field 14: public administration
  • Field 15: social welfare
  • Field 16: sport and recreation
  • Field 17: tourism
  • Field 18: town and country planning
  • Field 19: water and flood defence
  • Field 20: Welsh language


Criticism


The Government of Wales Act 2006
Government of Wales Act 2006

The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reforms the National Assembly for Wales and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily....
 was heavily criticised by Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union.Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966....
 for not delivering a fully-fledged parliament.

See also


  • Government of Wales Act 1998
    Government of Wales Act 1998

    This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act, 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
  • Contemporary Welsh Law
    Contemporary Welsh Law

    Contemporary Welsh Law is a term of art applied to the body of primary legislation and secondary legislation legislation generated by the National Assembly of Wales, according to newly devolution granted in the Parliament of the United Kingdom Government of Wales Act 2006....


External links