Article contents
Law Making in a Devolved Wales: Work in Progress
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 December 2014
Abstract
Devolution for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales resulted in an asymmetrical constitutional framework. The Welsh settlement was more limited than that for Northern Ireland and Scotland. However, since the Government of Wales Acts of 1998 and 2006, Wales has eventually achieved primary law-making powers. Regrettably, the stages leading to the present position resulted in an often confused and confusing body of law. Practitioners wishing to know the content of Welsh law on a subject may encounter a complex tapestry of different types of enactments. The next step for Wales must be improved accessibility and codification. The process of devolution continues. This paper by Professor John Williams was delivered at the BIALL Annual Conference in June 2014.
Keywords
- Type
- Selection of Papers from the BIALL Conference 2014
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Author(s) 2014. Published by British and Irish Association of Law Librarians
References
Footnotes
1 Keating, Michael. (1998) What's wrong with asymmetrical government? 8(1) Regional & Federal Studies, 195CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
2 Curtice, John. (2006) A stronger or weaker union? Public reactions to asymmetric devolution in the United Kingdom. 36(1) The Journal of Federalism 95, 109CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
3 Hardy, Thomas. (1914) The Wessex edition of the works of Thomas Hardy. London, MacmillanGoogle Scholar. Chapter 9.
4 Davies, Ron. (1999) Devolution: a process not an event. Cardiff , Institute of Welsh Affairs; Derek Birrell. (2009) The impact of devolution on social policy. Bristol, Policy Press 2009.
5 Morgan, Rhodri. (2002) Clear Red Water. Swansea, National Centre for Public Policy. http://www.sochealth.co.uk/the-socialist-health-association/sha-country-and-branch-organisation/sha-wales/clear-red-water/ (accessed 5th October 2014)
6 Jones, T H and Williams, J M. (2005) The Legislative Future of Wales. 68(4) The Modern Law Review 642CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
7 Williams, John. (2010). The emerging need for a Welsh jurisdiction. Agenda 42(Winter): p.41–43Google Scholar
8 Beye, Stephen. (1991) The implementation of the All-Wales Mental Handicap Strategy Mental. Handicap Research 4(2) 115–40Google Scholar;
9 Drakeford, Mark. (2005) Wales and a third term of New Labour: devolution and the development of difference. 25(4) Critical Social Policy 497CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
10 ibid 501 (n 9).
11 Commission on Devolution in Wales. (2013) Beaufort Poll shows support for National Assembly for Wales and further powers continues to grow. <http://commissionondevolutioninwales.independent.gov.uk/2013/08/13/beaufort-poll-shows-support-for-national-assembly-for-wales-and-further-powers-continues-to-grow/> (accessed 5th October 2014)
12 Birrell, Derek. (2013) Policy Copying and Public Sector Reform in Northern Ireland 22(3) Regional & Federal Studies 309CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
13 Jenkins, Dafydd. (2000) Hywel Dda. The Law. Llandysul, GomerGoogle Scholar; Jenkins, Dafydd. (2003) Legal History at Aberystwyth. 34 Cambrian L. Rev. 27Google Scholar
14 Davies, John, (1993) A History of Wales. London, PenguinGoogle Scholar
15 Hansard HC Deb 24 November 1948 vol 458. cc1269
16 Hansard HC Deb 26 November 1953 vol 521. c 1823.
17 Hansard HC Deb 26 November 1953 vol 521. c 1823.
18 BBC New, Official apology over Tryweryn, Wednesday, 19 October 2005
19 Cmnd. 53 (HMSO, 1957)
20 Hansard HC Deb 08 December 1997 vol 302 c671
21 Sched 2 Government of Wales Act 1998
22 Watkin, Thomas. (2007). The legal history of Wales. Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 197–8Google Scholar
23 Birrell op. cit.
24 Waterhouse, Sir Ronald. (2000) Lost in Care - The Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the abuse of children in care in the former county council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd since 1974 (HC201)
25 Health and Social Care Committee, National Assembly for Wales, (2000) Children's Commissioner for Wales, The Report of the Health and Social Services Committee. http://www.childcom.org.uk/uploads/publications/438.pdf (accessed 5th October 2014)
26 Drakeford (n 9).
27 National Assembly for Wales. (2004) National Assembly Report of the Richard Commission: Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales.
28 Speech by Lord Richard at press launch of the Report, Cardiff March 2004.
29 National Assembly for Wales. (2004) National Assembly Report of the Richard Commission: Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales. Chapter 3 (n 27)
30 The National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Health and Health Services and Social Welfare) Order 2010 No. 236, para 2.
31 Better Governance for Wales. (2005) Cm 6582 para 1.27
32 ibid, Para 3.8 (n 31)
33 ibid, Para 3.23 (n 31)
34 All Wales Convention Report (2009) http://wales.gov.uk/docs/awc/publications/091118thereporten.pdf (accessed 5th October 2014) para 6.2.16
35 Sherlock, Ann. (2014) Supreme Court ruling on Welsh legislation. United Kingdom Constitutional Law Association. http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2014/07/30/ann-sherlock-supreme-court-ruling-on-welsh-legislation/ (Accessed 5th October 2014)
36 Local Government Byelaws (Wales) Bill 2012 - Reference by the Attorney General for England and Wales - [2012] UKSC 53 [2012] All ER (D) 239 (Nov)
37 Paras 53 and 55 (n 36)
38 Re Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill [2014] UKSC 43, (Transcript) [2014] All ER (D) 84 (Jul)
39 Statement: The Referral of the Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court; National Assembly for Wales, The Record of Proceedings 14th January 2014, 14.59. 14/01/2014
40 Proposals for English and Scottish Law Commissions (1965) Cmnd 2573.
41 Williams, John. (2012) A New Law on Adult Social Care: A Challenge for Law Reform in Wales.' 33(2) Statute Law Review 304CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
42 Law Commission (2011) Adult Social Care. London, Law Commission, Law Com 326Google Scholar.
43 Lloyd Jones, Sir David. (2014) Law Reform in a Devolved Wales, Speech to London Welsh Lawyers http://lawcommission.justice.gov.uk/docs/law_reform_in_a_devolved_wales.pdf
44 Law Commission (2014) Twelfth Programme of Law Reform. London, Law Com No 354Google Scholar
45 ibid, para 2.20 (n 44)
46 ibid, para 2.9-2.12 (n 44)
47 Stevenson, Lillian. (2013) An Emerging Welsh Legal Identity: a Brief Overview of the Information Landscape, Legal Information Management Volume 13 / Issue 03 / September 2013, pp 156–161CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48 Commission on Devolution in Wales (2012) Empowerment and responsibility: Financial powers to strengthen Wales. Cardiff, Commission on DevolutionGoogle Scholar.
49 Commission on Devolution in Wales, (2014) Empowerment and responsibility: Legislative powers to strengthen Wales, Cardiff, Commission on DevolutionGoogle Scholar. Recommendation 1.
- 2
- Cited by