Devolution Monitoring Programme 2006-08
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DEVOLUTION MONITORING PROGRAMME 2006-08 Wales Devolution Monitoring Report January 2007 Dr Richard Wyn Jones & Dr Roger Scully (eds.) The Devolution Monitoring Programme From 1999 to 2005 the Constitution Unit at University College London managed a major research project monitoring devolution across the UK through a network of research teams. 103 reports were produced during this project, which was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant number L 219 252 016) and the Leverhulme Nations and Regions Programme. Now, with further funding from the Economic and social research council and support from several government departments, the monitoring programme is continuing for a further three years from 2006 until the end of 2008. Three times per year, the research network produces detailed reports covering developments in devolution in five areas: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Englsh Regions, and Devolution and the Centre. The overall monitoring project is managed by Professor Robert Hazell and Akash Paun at the Constitution Unit, UCL and the team leaders are as follows: Scotland: Peter Jones Honorary Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, UCL Former political correspondent for The Economist Wales: Dr Richard Wyn Jones & Dr Roger Scully Institute of Welsh Politics, University of Wales, Aberystwyth Northern Ireland: Professor Rick Wilford & Robin Wilson Queen’s University, Belfast English Regions: Mark Sandford Honorary Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, UCL The Centre: Professor Robert Hazell, The Constitution Unit, UCL Akash Paun, The Constitution Unit, UCL The Constitution Unit and the rest of the research network is grateful to all the funders of the devolution monitoring programme. Scottish Executive All devolution monitoring reports are published at: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution- unit/research/devolution. Contact Akash Paun on [email protected] for further information. Wales Devolution Monitoring Report January 2007 Dr Richard Wyn Jones & Dr Roger Scully (eds.) Wales Devolution Monitoring Report January 2007 LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................................6 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS...............................................................................................6 SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................8 1. PUBLIC POLICY........................................................................................................................10 1.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................10 1.2 CULTURE, WELSH LANGUAGE AND SPORT ............................................................................12 1.3 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORT.........................................................................13 1.4 EDUCATION, LIFELONG LEARNING AND SKILLS ....................................................................15 1.5 ENVIRONMENT, PLANNING AND THE COUNTRYSIDE..............................................................18 1.6 EQUALITY..............................................................................................................................19 1.7 HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ............................................................................................20 1.8 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES .......................................................................23 1.9 SOCIAL JUSTICE AND REGENERATION ...................................................................................24 1.10 CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................................................25 2. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ...............................................................................................26 2.1 PRIMARY LEGISLATION .........................................................................................................26 2.1.1 Acts giving powers to the Assembly July – December 2006 .............................................26 2.1.2 2006 Acts giving powers to the Assembly:........................................................................27 2.1.3 Acts with sections relating to devolution ..........................................................................32 2.1.4 Framework powers...........................................................................................................35 2.2 BILLS INTRODUCED INTO PARLIAMENT GIVING POWERS TO THE ASSEMBLY .........................37 2.2.1 The Queen’s Speech..........................................................................................................38 2.3 WHITE PAPER AND POLICY STATEMENTS ...............................................................................41 2.4 SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION APPLYING IN WALES ................................................................42 2.4.1 General Statutory Instruments made by the Assembly......................................................42 2.4.2 Non SI General Subordinate Legislation made by the Assembly......................................43 2.4.3 Subordinate Legislation involving Central Government and the Assembly .....................44 2.4.4 Central Government Subordinate Legislation applying to Wales ....................................45 2.5 OTHER ASSEMBLY MATTERS .................................................................................................46 2.5.1 The Standing Orders Committee ......................................................................................46 2.5.2 The Shadow Commission..................................................................................................46 2.6 CONCLUSION .........................................................................................................................47 3. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE BUDGET............................................................49 3.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................49 3.2 SCIENCE POLICY ....................................................................................................................50 3.3 REVISITING THE ECONOMIC INACTIVITY AND ENERGY REVIEWS ..........................................51 3.4 THE CONVERGENCE PROGRAMME .........................................................................................52 4 Wales Devolution Monitoring Report January 2007 3.5 THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET .......................................................................................................53 3.6 CONCLUSION .........................................................................................................................54 4. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ...............................................................................56 4.1. GENERAL ...............................................................................................................................56 4.2 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF WALES ACT 2006 ............................................58 4.3 FINANCE: THE PRE-BUDGET REVIEW.....................................................................................60 5. RELATIONS WITH EUROPE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT...........................................61 5.1 EUROPE..................................................................................................................................61 5.1.1 Regional Aid 2007-13.......................................................................................................61 5.1.2 External relations .............................................................................................................62 5.1.3 European and External Affairs Committee.......................................................................63 5.2 LOCAL GOVERNMENT............................................................................................................64 5.2.1 Building on Beyond Boundaries: responses to Beecham..................................................65 5.2.2 All-Wales local government performance data ................................................................66 5.2.3 Financial settlements........................................................................................................67 5.2.4 Equal Pay and Back Pay ..................................................................................................67 5.2.5 National Assembly Budget for 2007-08............................................................................68 5.2.6 Forthcoming issues...........................................................................................................69 5.2.7 Conclusion........................................................................................................................69 6. ELECTIONS, PARTIES AND PUBLIC ATTITUDES ...........................................................71 6.1 ELECTIONS.............................................................................................................................71 6.2 PARTIES .................................................................................................................................72 6.2.1 Labour ..............................................................................................................................73 6.2.2 Conservatives ...................................................................................................................74