Wales Legislation Online
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Preface to Wales Legislation Online

Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Presiding Officer for the National Assembly for Wales

Dafydd.Elis-Thomas@wales.gov.uk

 

 

The Functions and Secondary Legislation of the National Assembly for Wales

I am very pleased to be asked to write this Preface to the Service provided by Wales Legislation Online. It has now been in operation for over three years. It continues to be the only comprehensive analysis of the powers of and the secondary legislation made by the National Assembly. It thoroughly deserves the commendation given to it by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons in its report published in March 2003, The Primary Legislative Process as it Affects Wales. The Committee welcomed the “crucial work that has been achieved by Wales Legislation Online.” It is indeed a valuable resource.

This Service has two main and important purposes. First, it analyses by subject headings those Acts of Parliament which give powers to the National Assembly. Secondly, it sets out the legislation that it has made. In both respects, the Service is regularly updated. The Assembly does not exercise its powers by reference to subject areas but by reference to specific Acts of Parliament. The functions exercisable by Ministers under these Acts in relation to England are exercisable in relation to Wales either wholly by the Assembly, or partly by the Assembly and partly by central government or by the Assembly together with Ministers. Each such Act differs in the extent to which the Assembly is given powers. There are no general principles in this respect; consequently each Act has to be fully analysed. Since 1999, in certain Acts, Westminster has given powers to the Assembly which are not exercisable by Ministers in relation to England. In addition, major amendments have been made to the Acts of Parliament mentioned in the first Transfer of Functions Order which gave the Assembly its initial powers.

As the scope of the Assembly’s powers become more complex, so the Service grows in importance. The editorial team has made substantial changes to its format which will enable users more quickly to identify the Assembly’s powers and the legislation it has made. The Service remains the only central source of information for Assembly members and officials, legal and other practitioners and all those who are involved in the public life of Wales.

I fully support its wide ranging and necessary work and I give the Service my very best wishes for its continuing success.


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