Wales: The Devolution Act
The Government of Wales Act 1998 provided for the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales following the successful devolution referendum in September 1997. The Act also provided for the transfer of all the powers of the Secretary of State for Wales to the new Assembly.
The Government of Wales Act 2006 then delivered on HM Government’s commitment to move the Welsh devolution process forward. It has three key elements, which were introduced in May 2007:
- formal separation between the Assembly and the Welsh Assembly Government to provide clarity of the respective remit and role of the legislature and the executive, and to improve effective scrutiny;
- enhanced legislative powers for the Assembly through a new category of legislation called Assembly Measures so that legislative priorities for Wales are secured more quickly and easily than through provisions in bills passed by Parliament; and
- changing the Assembly's electoral arrangements to prevent candidates standing for an Assembly constituency and an Assembly region in the same election.
Northern Ireland
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