WIREDGOV

Speaking in yesterday’s plenary meeting, the First Minister said that the relevant parts of the Government of Wales Act would be brought into force as soon as possible – there are three formal requirements:

“First, a Commencement Order is required to bring into force what are known as “the Assembly Act provisions” of the Government of Wales Act. Before being made by Welsh Ministers, a draft of the Order must be approved by the Assembly. This draft Order has been laid in the Assembly today and it will be debated in plenary on 29 March. It has two principal elements: it specifies the coming into force date for the Assembly Act provisions, and it modifies enactments and other instruments and documents in connection with those provisions being in force.

“Our proposal is that the Assembly Act provisions should come into force on 5 May. This will enable the new Assembly to use its enhanced legislative powers straight away. The commencement order also contains transitional and saving provisions for Assembly Measures. This will enable Assembly Measures approved by the end of this Assembly, but not yet submitted to Her Majesty in Council, to become law. Once these Measures have been approved, Part 3 of the Government of Wales Act, with its provision for Legislative Competence Orders, will fall away and be no more.”

“The second requirement needed for the Assembly Acts provisions to take effect is the specification of the form of Letters Patent, which Her Majesty will use to signify Assent to Assembly Bills. An Order in Council is required to specify the form, manner of preparation and publication of Letters Patent. The Order is made by the Privy Council, before being laid before the Assembly. It can be annulled by the Assembly up to 40 days after it has been laid; it is my earnest hope that the Assembly will not feel moved to do that.  The aim is for this Order in Council to reach the Privy Council shortly and then to be laid in the Assembly in the following days.

“The final requirement specified by the Government of Wales Act is for a Welsh Seal to authenticate Letters Patent. There has not been a Welsh Seal since the time of Owain Glyndwr. So I intend to commission a Welsh Seal. In keeping with the Seal of a progressive country, it will be a modern one-sided seal representing both the Monarch and Wales.

“In addition to all this, there are other implementation issues which will be a matter for the Assembly itself. Standing Orders will need to be amended to specify the procedures for consideration of Assembly Bills. I understand that work on amending our Standing Orders will now commence.”

The First Minister also spoke further on the future system of funding for Wales:

“Of course, the referendum also has consequences for the UK Government. Ever since the Holtham Commission demonstrated that Wales is significantly underfunded, there has been a cross-party consensus in this chamber that our system of funding needs to change. However, UK Ministers stated in the CSR that funding reform must wait until after the referendum. The referendum has now been held and it has been won. We will therefore be looking for an early start to substantive talks with the UK Government on the final Holtham report, based around the position that all parties in the Assembly endorsed in a debate last autumn. This means that fair funding must be the immediate priority. We are prepared to consider any proposals that represent a genuine and sustainable improvement to the status quo."