Act of the National Assembly for Wales
Encyclopedia
In Wales
, an Act of the National Assembly for Wales (informally, an Act of the Assembly) is primary legislation
that can be made by the National Assembly for Wales
under part 4 of the Government of Wales Act 2006
. The power to make Acts of the Assembly was conferred on the assembly following the 2011 elections as a commencement order had been passed in the assembly by simple majority prior to dissolution. The activation of part 4 legislative powers was as a result of a "yes" vote in the 2011 referendum held in Wales. When the power to make Acts of the Assembly commenced, the assembly lost the ability to make Measures under section 3 of the 2006 Act. Existing Measures will remain as law unless repealed.
Once a bill is introduced, there are four stages that need to be completed prior to the bill being submitted for royal assent
. The first stage involves consideration of the general principles of the bill by a committee of the assembly and then agreement of these principles by the assembly in plenary session. In the second stage, the bill is considered in detail by a bill committee. The third stage involves detailed condsideration of the bill and any amendments by the assembly in plenary, this can be followed by a Report Stage where further amendments can be proposed. In the fourth stage, the assembly votes to pass the bill in its final form.
and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
the right to prohibit the submission of a bill for royal assent if the provisions of the bill are deemed to be outside the legislative competency of the assembly. When a bill is submitted for royal assent, it becomes an Act of the Assembly if Letters Patent
under the Welsh Seal
are made by the Queen to signify her assent.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, an Act of the National Assembly for Wales (informally, an Act of the Assembly) is primary legislation
Primary legislation
Primary legislation is law made by the legislative branch of government. This contrasts with secondary legislation, which is usually made by the executive branch...
that can be made by the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
under part 4 of the Government of Wales Act 2006
Government of Wales Act 2006
The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act 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...
. The power to make Acts of the Assembly was conferred on the assembly following the 2011 elections as a commencement order had been passed in the assembly by simple majority prior to dissolution. The activation of part 4 legislative powers was as a result of a "yes" vote in the 2011 referendum held in Wales. When the power to make Acts of the Assembly commenced, the assembly lost the ability to make Measures under section 3 of the 2006 Act. Existing Measures will remain as law unless repealed.
Consideration by the Assembly
Bills may be introduced Welsh Government, a committee of the Assembly, the Assembly Commission or by individual Assembly Members. Ballots are held to select which individual assembly members may present bills.Once a bill is introduced, there are four stages that need to be completed prior to the bill being submitted for royal assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
. The first stage involves consideration of the general principles of the bill by a committee of the assembly and then agreement of these principles by the assembly in plenary session. In the second stage, the bill is considered in detail by a bill committee. The third stage involves detailed condsideration of the bill and any amendments by the assembly in plenary, this can be followed by a Report Stage where further amendments can be proposed. In the fourth stage, the assembly votes to pass the bill in its final form.
Royal Assent
Should a bill complete its passage in the assembly, then the Clerk to the assembly will submit the bill for royal assent. The Government of Wales Act 2006 gives the Secretary of State for WalesSecretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the supreme court in all matters under English law, Northern Ireland law and Scottish civil law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the United Kingdom; however the High Court of Justiciary remains the supreme court for criminal...
the right to prohibit the submission of a bill for royal assent if the provisions of the bill are deemed to be outside the legislative competency of the assembly. When a bill is submitted for royal assent, it becomes an Act of the Assembly if Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
under the Welsh Seal
Welsh Seal
The Welsh Seal is a seal to be used for Wales. Provision for a Welsh seal was made in Part 4 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which also designated the First Minister of Wales as "Keeper of the Welsh Seal"...
are made by the Queen to signify her assent.
Subjects in which Acts of the Assembly can be made
Under part 4 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, the assembly has legislative competence in the following 20 "Subjects" outlined on schedule 7 of that act:- AgricultureAgricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, fisheries, forestryForestryForestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and rural developmentRural developmentRural development in general denotes economic development and community development actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-urban neighbourhoods, remote villages and the countryside... - Ancient monumentRoyal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of WalesThe Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is a Welsh Government sponsored body based in Aberystwyth, Wales. It was founded in August 1908...
s and historic buildingCadw-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
s - Culture
- Economic developmentEconomy of WalesThe Economy of Wales. In 2010, according to ONS provisional data, headline gross value added in Wales was £44,517m, making the Welsh economy the tenth largest of the UK's twelve regions ahead of only Northern Ireland and the North East of England...
- Education and trainingEducation in WalesEducation in Wales differs in certain respects from education elsewhere in the United Kingdom. For example, a significant number of students all over Wales are educated either wholly or largely through the medium of Welsh: in 2008/09, 22 per cent of classes in maintained primary schools used Welsh...
- EnvironmentEnvironment Agency WalesEnvironment Agency Wales is an Assembly Sponsored Public Body. It is that part of the Environment Agency that covers Wales. The Regional divisions of the Environment Agency are based on the concept of catchment management and administrative boundaries therefore follow the watersheds of major rivers...
- FireFirefighterFirefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
and rescue servicesRescue squadA rescue company is a public service organization that uses specialized equipment and knowledge to rescue people. There are two typical applications: squads that rescue trapped people, and squads that rescue people who are having medical emergencies....
and promotion of fire safetyFire safetyFire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the... - FoodWelsh cuisineWelsh cuisine is the cuisine of Wales. It has influenced, and been influenced by, other British cuisine. Beef and dairy cattle are raised widely. Sheep farming is extensive in the country and lamb is the meat traditionally associated with Welsh cooking, particularly in dishes such as roast lamb...
- Health and health services
- Highways and transportTransport in WalesThis article is about means of transport within Wales. The geography of Wales has been a key influence on the development of its transport system, with the main settlements lying on the coasts of North and South Wales, while Mid Wales is lightly populated...
- HousingPublic housingPublic housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
- Local governmentLocal Government (Wales) Act 1994The Local Government Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government structure in Wales of 22 unitary authority areas, referred to as principal areas in the Act, and abolished the previous two-tier structure of counties and districts...
- Public administrationPublic administrationPublic Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
- Social welfare
- Sport and recreationSport in WalesThe most popular sports in Wales are rugby union and football. Like the other countries of the United Kingdom, Wales enjoys independent representation in major world sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and in the Commonwealth Games, but competes as part of England in cricket...
- TourismTourism in WalesWales is an emerging tourist destination, with 8,078,900 visitors to National Trust and Welsh Tourist Board destinations in 2002. The industry has been estimated to have an annual turnover of £3.5 billion....
- TownUrban planningUrban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
and country planning - WaterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and flood defenceFlood mitigationFlood mitigation involves managing the effects of flooding, such as redirecting flood run-off, rather than trying to prevent it altogether. It is management of people, through measures such as evacuation and dry/wet proofing properties for example.... - Welsh languageWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
See also
- List of Acts and Measures of the National Assembly for Wales
- Measure of the National Assembly for Wales