Welsh Affairs - annual debate on 2 March 2017
A general debate on Welsh Affairs is held each year in the Commons Chamber on, or around, St David’s Day. Since 2010 the Backbench Business Committee has allocated time for the annual debate from its 35 allotted days. The debate is on the motion: “That this House has considered Welsh Affairs.”
There will be no debate pack for this wide-ranging debate but the following links may be helpful.
Previous DebatesLast year’s debate on 2 March 2016 highlighted the First Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee, on Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Wales Bill, [HC449]. The motion was moved by Stephen Kinnock with Alun Cairns, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, responding.
The motion for the 2015 debate on 5 March was moved by Glyn Davies. Stephen Crabb, the Secretary of State for Wales, responded.
Westminster Hall debates on Welsh matters- Leaving the EU: Infrastructure in Wales, 17 Jan 2017 (Debate Pack)
- The Effect of Leaving the EU: Businesses in Wales, 14 Dec 2016 (Debate Pack)
- Leaving the EU: Wales, 25 Oct 2016 (Debate Pack)
- Post Offices in Wales, 13 Sep 2016
- Broadband in Wales, 6 Jul 2016 (Debate Pack) and briefing on Rollout of superfast broadband to rural communities
- Access to Justice: Wales, 15 Dec 2015 (Debate Pack)
The Wales Act was drawn up to give effect to the Government's policy of establishing a 'reserved powers' model for devolution in Wales. This arose from the second report of the Silk Commission, Empowerment and Responsibility: Legislative Powers to Strengthen Wales, published in March 2014. The Act received Royal Assent on 31 January 2017.
The Wales Act 2017 page on the Parliament website provides links to the debates in both Houses of Parliament. Follow the link to All Bill documents and scroll down for all the House of Commons Library and House of Lords Library briefings on the Act.
Commons Library briefings Civil LawCivil Legal Aid: England & Wales, Scotland and N Ireland compared, Jun 2016
- The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) made significant changes to the operation of the civil legal aid scheme in England and Wales, both reducing the scope of civil legal aid and changing the financial eligibility criteria.
Brexit: devolved legislature business, A record of Brexit-related business in the devolved legislatures, updated each Monday, Feb 2017. The paper includes a link to:
Legislating for Brexit: the Great Repeal Bill, Feb 2017
- If the Great Repeal Bill transposes all directly applicable EU law (leaving aside some items that cannot be carried over for logical reasons) it could effectively implement a range of provisions that are within devolved competence (e.g. agriculture). This would require consent from the devolved legislatures, so long as the Sewel Convention is respected. An alternative approach would be to restrict the Bill to reserved matters and leave the devolved legislatures to create their own continuation Bills. The Secretary of State for Scotland has suggested that a legislative consent motion would be sought for the Great Repeal Bill.
(See Section 6 of the briefing for more information.)
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, Jan 2017
- The Supreme Court decided unanimously in the Miller case that the devolved legislatures do not have a legal power to block the Government from triggering Article 50. The Government has said the current Bill does not require a legislative consent motion.
Regional and national economic indicators, Feb 2017
- Data summarising the economic situation around the UK. See section 11 for Wales.
Regional and local economic growth statistics
- Overview of annual statistics on the economies of the UK including local areas. The landing page for this briefing links to an interactive spreadsheet of data for local areas.
Comparison of homelessness duties in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Dec 2016
- Comparison of the legal duties to tackle homelessness and assist people presenting as homeless in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. In this devolved policy area, increasingly divergent approaches are emerging from the four nations.
Comparing private rented sector policies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Aug 2016
- Housing is a devolved matter; policy approaches to the private rented sector in the devolved administrations are showing some significant divergences. Both Scotland and Wales have introduced legislation to implement a new framework for the sector.
Comparing the Right to Buy in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Jul 2016
- The Welsh Government has decided to abolish the Right to Buy. The Legislative Programme for 2016-17 announced that a Bill to abolish the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire will be introduced during the current session.
Transport in Wales, Jul 2016
- An overview of those transport areas that are reserved to the UK Parliament; those which are devolved to Wales and proposals by the Silk Commission and in the Wales Bill to devolve further powers.
Current Welsh Affairs Committee Inquiries:
- Devolution: Lessons for Wales Inquiry announced 13 September 2016
Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into how devolved and federal governments work successfully in other nations
- Broadcasting in Wales: follow-up: S4C funding Inquiry announced 27 January 2017
Welsh Affairs Committee Broadcasting in Wales follow-up sessions on S4C funding
- Implications for Wales of the EU referendum result Inquiry announced 28 July 2016
Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into the implications for Wales post EU
- Responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Wales Inquiry announced 09 September 2015
Welsh Affairs Committee evidence sessions on the responsibilities of the Welsh Secretary
- Wales and Borders rail franchise Inquiry announced 20 July 2016
Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into improvements to rail transport in Wales