Decision details
Debate on the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee's Report on the Inquiry into the establishment of a separate Welsh jurisdiction
Decision Maker: Plenary - Fourth Assembly, Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee - Fourth Assembly
Status: Complete
Is Key decision?: Yes
Purpose:
Since the referendum result on 3 March 2011 gave the National Assembly
extensive powers to make laws for Wales, the issue of whether Wales should
become a separate legal jurisdiction has become a matter of public interest and
discussion. In particular, the First
Minister has indicated that he intends to initiate a public debate about
whether a separate Welsh jurisdiction is needed.
The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs
Committee believed that these developments provided a good opportunity
for the technical aspects of this question to be examined and therefore agreed
to conduct an inquiry.
Further background on developments that led the Committee to
this view were set out in a paper prepared by the Assembly’s Research Service,
which is provided below.
The Committee sought views on
the following specific matters as well as on any other matter relevant to the
inquiry:
- the meaning of the term “separate Welsh
jurisdiction”;
- the potential benefits, barriers and costs of
introducing a separate Welsh jurisdiction;
- the practical implications of a separate jurisdiction
for the legal profession and the public; and
- the operation of other small jurisdictions in the UK,
particularly those, such as Northern Ireland, that use a common law
system.
Decision:
The item started
at 15:03
NDM5178 David Melding
(South Wales Central)
The
National Assembly for Wales:
Notes
the report of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee on its
inquiry into a separate Welsh Jurisdiction, which was laid in the Table Office
on 12 December 2012.
The motion was agreed in accordance with
Standing Order 12.36.
Publication date: 06/03/2013
Date of decision: 06/03/2013
Decided at meeting: 06/03/2013 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly