Welsh Parliament
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| Welsh Parliament | |
|---|---|
| Name | Senedd Cymru |
| Native name | Senedd Cymru |
| Established | 1999 |
| Preceded by | National Assembly for Wales |
| Legislature | Fifth Senedd |
| House type | Unicameral |
| Leader1 type | Llywydd |
| Leader1 | John Pryce |
| Leader2 type | First Minister |
| Leader2 | Elinor Davies |
| Seats | 60 |
| Voting system | Additional Member System |
| Last election | 2026 |
| Meeting place | Senedd building, Cardiff Bay |
Welsh Parliament is the devolved unicameral legislature that exercises legislative authority in Wales within competencies defined by the Government of the United Kingdom and successive statutes including the Government of Wales Act 1998 and Wales Act 2017. It sits in Cardiff Bay and passes laws, approves budgets, and scrutinises the Welsh Government and public bodies such as Natural Resources Wales, Health Education and Improvement Wales, and Transport for Wales. The Senedd’s evolving powers have been shaped by referendums, statutes, and intergovernmental agreements involving the United Kingdom Parliament, Secretary of State for Wales, and UK-wide institutions.
History
Origins trace to campaigns by figures like Myrddin ap Dafydd and organizations such as the Welsh Language Society and Plaid Cymru that advocated devolution after the Welsh devolution referendum, 1979. Momentum returned with the Welsh devolution referendum, 1997 and the subsequent Government of Wales Act 1998, creating the initial assembly which first met in 1999. Reforms in the Government of Wales Act 2006 reconfigured powers and the chamber’s procedures; the body adopted primary law-making competence after the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum. The institution’s evolution continued with the Wales Act 2014 and Wales Act 2017, which expanded fiscal and legislative competence, and with the renaming and reforming referendum debates culminating in the 2020s.
Structure and Membership
The chamber is unicameral with 60 members who hold the title Member of the Senedd; membership includes representatives elected from constituencies and regions. Leadership posts include the Llywydd, First Minister, Counsel General, and a panel of Deputy Presiding Officers; parties represented include Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, and smaller groups or independents such as Gwlad. The chamber’s corporate structure interacts with statutory offices such as the Auditor General for Wales and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and with institutions like the National Assembly for Wales Commission which manages services and staff.
Powers and Functions
Statutory competencies cover devolved matters legislated through Acts of the Senedd, with reserved matters retained by the United Kingdom Parliament. Areas within competence have included the NHS in Wales administered via NHS Wales, transport functions involving Transport for Wales, elements of taxation after the Wales Act 2014, and cultural provisions affecting bodies like the National Library of Wales and Arts Council of Wales. The chamber scrutinises ministers, approves budgets drawn from the Welsh Consolidated Fund and devolved tax receipts, and holds inquiries involving public bodies such as Natural Resources Wales and Care Inspectorate Wales.
Legislative Process
Legislation may be introduced as Members’ Bills, Government Bills, or Private Members’ Bills and follows stages of introduction, committee scrutiny, plenary debate, and voting before receiving formal assent. Bills are shaped by evidence hearings with witnesses from organisations such as Public Health Wales, Schools Cymru, and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action, and by legal advice from the Counsel General. Once passed, Acts require formal promulgation and interaction with UK institutions when provisions touch reserved matters or require intergovernmental concordats involving the Secretary of State for Wales.
Committees and Oversight
A system of subject and procedure committees conducts detailed scrutiny of draft legislation, statutory instruments, and ministerial conduct; committees work with external expert witnesses from universities such as Cardiff University, Bangor University, and Swansea University. Permanent committees include finance, health and social care, local government, and constitution and legislative affairs; oversight functions extend to inquiries into public services administered by bodies like NHS Wales, Natural Resources Wales, and the Probation Service. Committees may produce reports that influence plenary debates, trigger ministerial statements, or prompt referrals to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on devolution disputes.
Electoral System and Representation
Members are elected using the Additional Member System combining constituency first-past-the-post and regional closed lists; constituencies mirror boundaries such as Cardiff Central, Swansea West, and Dwyfor Meirionnydd. The system balances local representation and proportionality, enabling party representation for Plaid Cymru, Welsh Labour, Conservatives, and Welsh Liberal Democrats. Voting rules, franchise extensions, and turnout have been affected by legislation and campaigns from organisations including Electoral Reform Society and civic groups like One Voice Wales.
Buildings and Offices
The principal debating chamber and offices are in the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay designed by Richard Rogers with adjoining facilities at Tŷ Hywel and parliamentary estate points including storage and archives in partnership with the National Library of Wales. Electoral services, committee rooms, and press facilities serve for engagement with media such as BBC Wales, ITV Cymru Wales, and public affairs bodies; Members also maintain constituency offices across towns like Wrexham, Newport, Merthyr Tydfil, and Aberystwyth for constituent casework and local meetings.