Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns MP has said the UK Government’s new Wales Bill will create “a strong and mature devolved Parliament”.
On Tuesday, June 7, a new Wales Bill was published outlining further powers Wales is set to have.
The publication took place on the same day that HM The Queen was in Cardiff to officially open the Fifth National Assembly for Wales.
The Bill will give new powers to the National Assembly over energy, transport and its own elections.
Welsh politicians in Cardiff Bay were critical of the first draft of the Bill, published last year, voicing fears it could lead to Wales having less power.
This element has now been removed, with First Minister Carwyn Jones telling BBC Wales that his remaining objections were not enough to hold up the Bill.
He said: “It’s not so badly flawed that it can’t be improved, which the old Bill was.”
The new Wales Bill will also fundamentally change the nature of the devolution settlement with a move to a reserved powers model.
This lists the policy areas that the UK Government still has responsibility for, with everything else devolved to the National Assembly for Wales.
There is also scope for Wales to have the power to vary income tax without the need for a referendum.
Mr Jones has said he is wary of Wales being “stitched-up” financially, but Mr Cairns has said income tax powers will not be imposed in Wales without a fair settlement.
Mr Cairns said: “I look forward to working with the new Assembly, and together ensuring that Welsh democracy comes of age through a Wales Bill that delivers permanence and accountability.
“Welsh men and women want sensible legislation that reflects their priorities and allows them to live under laws of their own choosing. I have heard that instruction loud and clear, and I will deliver on it.
The second reading of the Wales Bill will take place later this month. The Wales Bill is expected to complete its passage through the Houses of Parliament this session.
I would not use the adjective “mature” to describe the Welsh Assembly. I am as guilty as anyone for the existence of this monstrosity as I voted in favour of it, back in 1997. I have deep regrets about my vote helping create this when only 25.26% of the eligible Welsh voters wanted it.
I thought then that a local legislature would be good for us, I freely admit I was wrong as the time servers who sit there have not had the impact for advancing the interests of my country as I thought they would. They endlessly discuss, spanking children, Trident submarines, electronic cigarettes and other subjects on which they have little knowledge and no control whilst Welsh workers continue to suffer declining wages and prospects, the health service continues to get worse and our schools continue to send our young people barely educated into a harsh world.
I was wrong in voting for the Welsh Assembly, older now and wiser I realise I can’t turn the clock back but perhaps can help change the Assembly into something that actually does help the Welsh people and resist the drive by some of the AMs to increase their number and the cost of this layer of beaurocracy to the tax payer.
I have heard that the Welsh Assembly’s estate comprises of over 70 properties in Wales and 14 overseas properties including offices in Dubai, Milan, Sydney and Tokyo, if this is true why on earth does the Welsh Assembly need these overseas offices and how much are they costing the Welsh tax payers,
I have not heard this before but nothing would surprise me. On checking I found there are 72 properties in Wales with overseas properties all over the place. These cost the Tax Payer many £ Millions, £214,000 for Brussels and £236,000 for New York per year.
You ask “why on Earth does WAG need all these these overseas offices?” I have no idea, with perhaps the exception of Brussels as that is where Wales is ruled from.
Good ….
Cardiff Bay needs less power, not more. I am sure if there was a referendum in Wales to abolish the WAG the result would be very close. I would even go as far as saying a vote to abolish the WAG would not surprise me.
WALES governed from Brussels? not London, I am surprised at the `remain` stance taken by The Welsh Nationalists, considering The Welsh Nationalist `remain in the EU lot` seek MORE devolution from London but are perfectly content to hand almost ALL governance of Wales over to an unelected gang in Brussels by Campaigning to remain in the EU. What an unsustainable an hypocritical lot these Welsh Nationalist are, but I dont think they have thought about it. They spend too much of their time playing political games in OUR Welsh Assembly.