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Senedd Cymru, or the Welsh Parliament, is the devolved, democratically-elected, law-making body for Wales responsible for large swathes of public life.

Next week, on Thursday May 7, the people of Wales will go to the ballot box to elect a total of 96 Senedd Members across 16 constituencies.

These representatives will then get the chance to make laws affecting people across Wales. A political party that secures an overall majority of 49 members can form the Welsh Government, which then sets out the legislative programme it wants to pass.

If no party wins a majority, the largest party usually seeks support from others to secure power – either through a coalition, a formal agreement, or an informal arrangement. No party in the history of Welsh devolution has ever secured an outright majority.

However, Wales only has powers that have been devolved from the UK Parliament at Westminster. Matters that remain under the control of the UK Parliament are known as reserved powers.

While Wales is responsible for areas such as education and healthcare, matters including immigration, justice and policing, and defence remain under the control of Westminster.

Understanding the difference between Senedd and Westminster powers is important when deciding where to raise concerns about issues affecting you and your community.

For example, if you want to raise a concern about your local hospital you should contact a Senedd Member, while a problem relating to policing is best raised with your Member of Parliament.

This year, the number of Senedd Members is increasing from 60 to 96, reflecting the expansion of Wales’ powers since devolution began in 1999. Originally known as the Welsh Assembly, the institution was renamed Senedd Cymru in 2020 to better reflect its role as a national parliament.

The increase in the number of members is intended to improve scrutiny of the Welsh Government and strengthen law-making.

So what will the new Senedd Members elected on May 7 actually be responsible for?

The development of Senedd powers 

In 1999 the National Assembly for Wales, as the Welsh Parliament was then known, was established as a single “corporate body”.

The Assembly did not have primary legislative powers and could only pass secondary legislation in areas already devolved through the Government of Wales Act 1998 – meaning that Westminster remained responsible for passing primary legislation for Wales.

Ultimately, it meant Assembly Members could only work within limits set by the UK Parliament.

The Government of Wales Act 2006 changed that, giving the Assembly the power to create legislation on devolved matters in 20 areas including education, healthcare, and the Welsh language.

As a result, the confusingly named Welsh Assembly Government (which was effectively a committee of AMs) became a legally distinct entity called the Welsh Government.

In 2011, a referendum on the powers of the National Assembly was held, where voters were asked whether the Assembly should have full-lawmaking powers in the 20 fields where it has jurisdiction.

The country voted yes and the Welsh Assembly gained the power to create Acts of the Assembly without needing UK Parliament’s approval.

The Wales Act 2017 then moved Wales from a conferred matters model to a reserved matters model, as is used in Scotland, meaning the matters under the control of Westminster are explicitly listed and any matter not listed is devolved to the Senedd.

Further powers given to Wales as a result of the Wales Act 2017 included the creation of the Welsh Revenue Authority; the ability to raise or lower income tax by up to 10p in a pound; and the power to extend eligibility to vote.

As of April 2026, the Senedd holds significant law-making powers over most domestic policy areas, including most aspects of health and social care, housing, education, local transport, economic development, social services, language and culture, the environment, and local government.

The Senedd also has some tax-raising powers including control of local taxes, taxes on property transactions, and the power to vary income tax rates in Wales.

However the Senedd still has fewer powers than the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, particularly as the Senedd has no power over policing and justice.

What does Westminster still control?

Although Wales now has considerably more powers than when devolution began in 1999, some powers remain with the UK Parliament.

Immigration, justice and policing, broadcasting, defence and more are all reserved.

The UK Government does also, in some circumstances, have the power to overrule a decision made by a devolved parliament.

In 2023, a constitutional first was seen when the Secretary of State for Scotland stopped a Scottish Parliament Bill, the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, from becoming law.

Under section 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006, a similar power applies to Wales, where a UK Secretary of State can stop a piece of Welsh legislation becoming law.

This power can only be exercised if the Secretary of State for Wales believes the bill would: have an adverse effect on reserved matters; or have an adverse effect on the operation of the law as it applies in England; or be incompatible with any international obligation or in the interests of defence or national security.

As of April 2026, this power has never been used in relation to Welsh legislation.

Calls for change

One major area of contention within devolution currently, is responsibility for the Welsh Crown Estate.

Responsibility for managing the Scottish Crown Estate has been devolved since 2016, with revenue earned from land owned by the Crown staying in Scotland.

There have since been growing calls for Wales to get the same – and a chance to boost the country’s straining public finances.

Welsh Labour, which has been in power since 1999, has pledged in its manifesto that it will continue to pursue more powers for Wales – including the devolution of the Crown Estate.

Plaid Cymru has been vocal in its support and, if it formed the next Welsh Government, pledged to “use its mandate to make securing the devolution of the Crown Estate a key priority, opening negotiations with the UK Government from day one.”

The Wales Green Party and the Welsh Liberal Democrats also want the Crown Estate devolved, with the Greens saying that Crown Estate devolution would allow Wales to “control its own renewable resources and keep the economic benefits within Welsh communities”.

Notably, devolution of the Crown Estate does not feature in the manifestos of either the Welsh Conservatives or Reform UK.

In 2023 Janet Finch-Saunders, then-Welsh Conservative shadow minister for climate change, said that Crown Estate devolution was “not in the best interest of Wales”.

The Conservative position does not appear to have changed, with their manifesto stating they oppose “extending the Senedd’s powers and further referendums on the constitutional settlement”.

Arguments for the devolution of policing, as is found in Scotland and Northern Ireland, have also featured prominently in recent political discussions.

The Wales Green Party, Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, and the Welsh Liberal Democrats have all called for the devolution of policing to Wales.

The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales described the devolution of policing to Wales as “achievable with minimal disruption to services”.

The commission also noted that policing would be one of the “most straightforward services” to devolve, when discussing justice and policing, due to its funding and governance structure and close working relationship with devolved services at a national and local level.

UK home secretary Shabana Mahmood has however dismissed these calls outright.

The Welsh Conservatives oppose the devolution of powers over policing to Wales, with their manifesto stating the party will reject efforts by Labour and Plaid Cymru to devolve policing, justice, and elements of welfare.

Reform UK does not mention devolution of policing in their manifesto, but when asked about his attitude towards devolution, the party’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas told BBC Wales: “We need to get the Senedd getting the basics right first before we ask for more money or powers or anything like that.”

What am I voting for?

In the upcoming election, voters will have the opportunity to vote for the party they believe will best support and work for their constituency.

Each of the 16 new constituencies across Wales will elect six Senedd Members, making a total of 96.

Members will have equal responsibility for their constituency, regardless of their order on party lists.

An exhibition is running in the Senedd until October 15 2026, titled ‘Your Senedd, Your Vote’ where you can learn more about why your vote matters and how you can shape the future of Wales.