Changing the name of the National Assembly for Wales

Changing the name of the National Assembly for Wales

In July 2016, the Assembly debated whether it should change its name. It agreed that the name of the Assembly should reflect its constitutional status as a national parliament. The Assembly Commission ran a public consultation on this issue from 8 December 2016 to 3 March 2017. The consultation has now closed.

The power for the Assembly to change its name was devolved in the Wales Act 2017. The Act sets out a new constitutional framework for Wales. It is the latest in a series of changes to the powers of the Assembly since its establishment. The Assembly now works like any other Parliament and can pass laws for Wales and agree Welsh taxes.

More information about the changing role and responsibilities of the Assembly is available in the consultation document.

 

Consultations

The Assembly Commission consulted the public between 8 December 2016 and 3 March 2017. 61 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the Assembly should change its name.

In total, we received 2,821 survey responses from people of all ages and from all across Wales. 

The Consultation showed that the name that respondents felt best described the institution’s role and responsibility was: Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru.  We have agreed that we should, before the end of this Assembly, legislate to change the name of the institution to Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru. Members would be known as Welsh Parliament Members  (WPM) / Aelodau o Senedd Cymru (ASC)

The Commission intends to publish the legislation to give effect to those reforms in 2018.

You can also keep up to date with the work of the Commission by following us on Twitter at @AssemblyWales.

Business type:

Reason considered: Commission Business;

Status: Complete

First published: 07/12/2016

Consultations