Welsh Senedd
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| Welsh Senedd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Senedd Cymru |
| Native name | Senedd Cymru |
| Legislature | Fifth Senedd |
| Established | 1999 |
| Preceded by | National Assembly for Wales |
| Meeting place | Senedd building, Cardiff |
Welsh Senedd
The Senedd is the devolved legislature of Wales, based in Cardiff; it succeeded the National Assembly for Wales and exercises law-making and scrutiny functions devolved from the United Kingdom Parliament, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, under statutes such as the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the Government of Wales Act 2006. It sits in the Senedd building, adjacent to Cardiff Bay, and interacts with institutions including the Welsh Government, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and the Electoral Commission. The Senedd's membership, electoral system, committee structures and powers have shaped policy across devolved fields and engaged with entities such as the European Union prior to Brexit and the Council of Ministers (European Union) on cross-border matters.
History
Devolution for Wales traces roots to campaigns and reports including the Crowther Report, Dillwyn Llewelyn advocacy, the Kilbrandon Commission, and political movements led by parties such as Plaid Cymru and the Labour Party (UK). The 1979 Welsh devolution referendum, 1979 was defeated, but the Welsh devolution referendum, 1997 approved establishment of an assembly created under the Government of Wales Act 1998. The inaugural assembly formed after the 1999 United Kingdom general election context and the first Assembly elections in 1999 produced legislative change, later expanded by the Government of Wales Act 2006, the Wales Act 2014 and the Wales Act 2017, and clarified by cases in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom such as disputes over legislative competence involving the Attorney General for England and Wales and the Lord Advocate. The institution evolved from the National Assembly for Wales to its current form following the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum and the decision to rename the body in 2020, supported by debates involving figures like Carwyn Jones, Rhodri Morgan, Leanne Wood, Nick Ramsay, and Mark Drakeford.
Structure and composition
The Senedd is unicameral and comprises 60 elected members who hold the title of Member of the Senedd (MS). Members are elected from Welsh constituencies and regional lists under a mixed-member system influenced by the Additional Member System used in places like Scotland and inspired by models in Germany and New Zealand. Leadership positions include the First Minister of Wales, the Senedd Presiding Officer, and party leaders from Welsh Labour, Welsh Conservatives, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats (UK), Reform UK and other groups. Administrative functions are supported by the Senedd Commission, while legal advice is provided by officers comparable to the Attorney General for England and Wales and the Crown Prosecution Service in reserved areas. The Senedd's membership has included notable politicians such as Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Ieuan Wyn Jones, Adam Price, Carwyn Jones, and Leanne Wood.
Powers and legislative functions
The Senedd has primary law-making powers in devolved areas defined in statutes arising from the United Kingdom Parliament and clarified via constitutional statutes and judicial review in courts including the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Devolved subjects have included health services overseen by entities like the NHS Wales, aspects of taxation after measures influenced by the Wales Act 2014, and matters formerly linked to the European Parliament competencies before Brexit. The Senedd can pass Acts on matters within competence, scrutinise the Welsh Government including ministers and cabinets, and approve budgets shaped by the HM Treasury block grant and the Barnett formula. Its competences contrast with reserved matters remaining with the United Kingdom government, and interactions with institutions such as the UK Supreme Court, the Council of the European Union (Foreign Affairs Council), and the European Court of Human Rights have influenced constitutional practice.
Elections and voting system
Senedd elections use a mixed electoral model combining first-past-the-post for 40 single-member constituencies with regional proportional representation across five regions electing 20 additional members via closed party lists, a structure comparable to the Additional Member System used in Scotland and influenced by systems in Germany and New Zealand. Elections are administered by the Electoral Commission and timing has been affected by legislation such as the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 context and the Welsh decisions following the 2019 United Kingdom general election period. Franchise and eligibility rules align with precedents set by the Representation of the People Act 1983 and subsequent amendments, with voter registration administered alongside the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales reviews that determine constituency boundaries. High-profile elections included the 1999 National Assembly for Wales election, the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election, the 2011 Welsh Assembly election, the 2016 Welsh Assembly election, and the 2021 Senedd election.
Political groups and leadership
Political groups include Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, Welsh Conservatives, Liberal Democrats (UK), and minor parties such as UKIP in earlier cycles and Green Party of England and Wales. Leadership roles include the First Minister of Wales—past holders include Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones—and opposition leaders such as Andrew RT Davies and Leanne Wood. Coalition and minority administrations have been formed, involving negotiation practices similar to coalitions at Westminster and in the Scottish Parliament. Cross-party collaboration involves coordination with civic bodies such as Trade Unions Congress, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and local authorities including Cardiff Council and Swansea Council.
Committees and scrutiny
The Senedd employs a system of subject committees and cross-party committees to scrutinise ministers, draft legislation, and public bodies. Committees mirror structures used by other legislatures like the House of Commons select committees and the Scottish Parliament committees, engaging with expert witnesses from institutions such as Universities Wales, Public Health Wales, Care Inspectorate Wales, and advocacy organisations. Committees have played roles in inquiries tied to events including the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales, the Aberfan disaster legacy work, and infrastructure projects like the M4 relief road debates. The Senedd can summon ministers, request documents from the Welsh Government, and publish reports influencing policy across devolved areas.
Building and precincts
The Senedd sits in the purpose-built Senedd building at Cardiff Bay, part of a redeveloped [Cardiff Bay precinct alongside the Pierhead Building and the ATRiuM cultural venues, and is connected to transport hubs like Cardiff Queen Street railway station and Cardiff Central railway station. The complex includes offices, committee rooms, public galleries, and the debating chamber noted for its sustainable design by architects Richard Rogers and engineers like Arup Group. The precinct hosts public engagement events, exhibits on figures such as Dylan Thomas and Owain Glyndŵr, and forms part of Cardiff's cultural landscape near the Wales Millennium Centre and Millennium Stadium. Security and access arrangements coordinate with bodies such as South Wales Police and the City of Cardiff Council.