Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020

Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020

An Assembly Commission Bill, introduced by Elin Jones AM, Llywydd and Chair of the Assembly Commission. The Business Committee emitted the Bill to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee.*

 

About the Bill

 

The purpose of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill was “to:

 

  • rename the National Assembly to Senedd;  
  • lower the minimum voting age of National Assembly elections to 16; and
  • deliver other reforms to the National Assembly’s electoral and operational arrangements”.

 

Further detail about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

 

Current Stage

The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2019 became law in Wales on  15 January 2020.

 

Record of Passage in the National Assembly for Wales

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the National Assembly for Wales.

 

Stage

Documents

Bill introduced: 12 February 2019

Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, as introduced

Explanatory Memorandum

Bilingual Glossary

Deputy Presiding Officer’s Statement: 12 February 2019

Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill: 13 February 2019

Stage 1: Committee considerations of general principles

The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee considered its approach to Stage 1 on 18 February 2019

Consultation responses

Schedule of oral evidence

Interviews with witnesses

Jess Blair, Electoral Reform Society

Professor David Egan, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, BH Associates

Correspondence

Letter from the Llywydd – 12 February 2019 (PDF, 677KB)

Letter from Counsel General – 13 February 2019 (PDF, 352KB)

Letter from the Llywydd – 2 April 2019 (PDF, 3MB)

Letter from the Llywydd – 13 June 2019 (PDF, 125KB)

Letter to the Llywydd – 19 June 2019 (PDF, 83KB)

Letter from the Counsel General – 25 June 2019 (PDF, 147KB)

Committee Stage 1 Report

The Committee laid its report (PDF 1 MB) on 28 June 2019

Response (PDF 271KB) from the Llywydd to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee report - 13 August 2019

Committee dates
The Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda

Purpose of meeting

Transcript

Senedd.TV

18 February 2019

Consideration of Approach to Stage 1 Scrutiny (Private)

 

 

11 March 2019

Oral evidence session – Llywydd

Transcript

View the meeting

25 March 2019

Oral evidence session

Transcript

View the meeting

1 April 2019

Oral evidence session

Transcript

View the meeting

29 April 2019

Oral evidence session

Transcript

View the meeting

7 May 2019

Oral evidence session

Transcript

View the meeting

 

The Finance Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

 

Date and Agenda

Purpose of meeting

Transcript

Senedd.TV

21 March 2019

Oral evidence session - Counsel General

Transcript

View the meeting

27 March 2019

Oral evidence session – Electoral Commission

Transcript

View the meeting

4 April 2019

Oral evidence session – Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly

Transcript

View the meeting

4 April 2019

Oral evidence session – Llywydd

Transcript

View the meeting

Letter from the Llywydd – 15 February 2019

Letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee to the Llywydd – 17 April 2019 (PDF, 133KB)

Evidence from the Electoral Commission – March 2019 (PDF, 425KB)

Letter from the Llywydd to the Finance Committee -  7 May 2019 (PDF, 128KB)

Letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee to the Llywydd – 27 June 2019 (PDF, 157KB)

Finance Committee report: Financial implications of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill

Response from the Llywydd to the Finance Committee’s report: Financial Implications of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill (PDF, 278KB)

Stage 1: Debate in Plenary on general principles

A debate took place in Plenary on 10 July 2019. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.

Financial Resolution

In accordance with Standing Order 26.68 the Presiding Officer indicated that a financial resolution was required for this Bill.  Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to the scrutiny stages for Public Bills.

A Financial Resolution in relation to the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill was agreed in Plenary on 1 October 2019.

Stage 2: Committee consideration of amendments

Stage 2 began on 11 July 2019.

 

On 18 September 2019, in accordance with Standing Order 26.17(iii), a Committee of the Whole Assembly was convened to consider Stage 2 proceedings of the Bill.

 

The Committee of the Whole Assembly agreed on 1 October 2019, under Standing Order 26.21, that the order of consideration for Stage 2 proceedings will be: sections 2 to 9, Schedule 1, sections 10 to 29, Schedule 2, sections 30 to 41, section 1, and Long title.

 

Stage 2 consideration took place in a Committee of the Whole Assembly on 9 October 2019.

 

Notice of Amendments – 19 July 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Member in charge – 19 July 2019

Notice of Amendments – 27 September 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Member in charge – 27 September 2019
Notice of Amendments – 30 September 2019 (v2)

Purpose and Effect Table: Member in charge – 30 September 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Welsh Government – 30 September 2019

Notice of Amendments – 1 October 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Member in charge – 1 October 2019
Notice of Amendments – 2 October 2019 (v2)

Marshalled list of Amendments – 9 October 2019

Groupings of Amendments - 9 October 2019 (v3)


Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2 (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.)

 

Printing changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 2

 

Explanatory Memorandum, revised after stage 2 (PDF 4MB)

 

Further scrutiny of financial implications by the Finance Committee

 

Letter to the Llywydd and Counsel General - Stage 2 amendments - 17 July 2019   PDF 136 KB

 

Letter from the Counsel General and Brexit Minister - 3 September 2019   PDF 251 KB

 

Letter from the Counsel General - Stage 2 amendments - 20 Sept 2019   PDF 444 KB

 

Stage 2 draft amendments - 19 Sept 2019   PDF 134 KB

 

Finance Committee report on the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill: Further scrutiny of the financial implications (PDF, 146KB)

 

Response from the Counsel General to the Finance Committee report (PDF, 292KB)

 

Letter from the Llywydd to Chair of the Finance Committee – election expenditure – 8 October (PDF, 97KB)

Stage 3: Plenary consideration of amendments

 

Stage 3 consideration and disposal of amendments took place in Plenary on 13 November 2019.

 

The National Assembly for Wales agreed on 6 November 2019, under Standing Order 26.36, that the order of consideration for Stage 3 proceedings will be: sections 2 to 9; Schedule 1; sections 10 to 28; Schedule 2; section 29; Schedule 3; sections 30 to 41; section 1; Long title.

 

Notice of Amendments – 24 October 2019

Notice of Amendments – 4 November 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Welsh Government – 4 November 2019

Purpose and Effect Table: Member in Charge – 4 November 2019

Notice of Amendments – 5 November 2019

Notice of Amendments – 6 November 2019

Notice of Amendments – 7 November 2019 (late amendment under Standing Order 26.35)

Notice of Amendments – 8 November 2019 (late amendments under Standing Order 26.35)

Marshalled List of Amendments - 13 November 2019 (v3)

Groupings of Amendments – 13 November 2019 (v3)

 

Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.)

 

Printing changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 3

 

Letter from the Llywydd – 13 November 2019

 

Stage 4: Passing of the Bill in Plenary

Deputy Presiding Officer’s Statement: Bills with protected subject-matter

 

The Bill was agreed by the Assembly on 27 November 2019.

 

Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill, as passed.

 

Post-stage 4

The Counsel General (PDF, 32KB) and Secretary of State for Wales (PDF 234KB) wrote to the Presiding Officer to advise that they would not be referring the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 112 or 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

 

Date of Royal Assent

 

Royal Assent was given on 15 January 2020.

 

Background documents and correspondence

 

Contact information

Clerk: Gareth Williams

Phone:0300 200 6362

 

Postal address:

National Assembly for Wales

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff

CF99 1NA

 

Email: SeneddCLA@assembly.wales

Business type: Bill

Reason considered: Commission Business;

Status: Complete

First published: 12/02/2019

Documents

Consultations