Wales Act 2017
British law dealing with devolution
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Through Conservative Party (UK) and Harbor
Background
The bill was proposed by the Conservative Party in its manifesto for the 2015 general election.
The draft Wales Bill was presented in October 2015 and faced much criticism from the public over tests for competence (also known as "necessity tests"). As a result, the bill had been put on hold by the beginning of 2016. An amended bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 1 June 2016.
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Main provisions
One of the most important provisions is that the act moved Wales from a conferred matters model to a reserved matters model, which is used in Scotland under the Scotland Act 1998. The act repealed the provision of the Wales Act 2014 for a referendum in Wales on devolution of income tax.
The act gives further powers to the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government:
- The ability to amend sections of the Government of Wales Act 2006 which relate to the operation of the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government within the United Kingdom, including control of its electoral system (subject to a two-thirds majority within the Assembly) for any proposed change.
- The ability to use such amendment to devolve powers to the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Ministers over areas such as road signs, onshore oil and gas activity, harbours, rail franchising, energy efficiency, and advice.
- The power to change the name of the National Assembly for Wales. On 9 October 2019 the Assembly agreed that the new name would be Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru. It came into effect in May 2020.
- The ability to raise or lower income tax by up to 10p in the pound
- The power to extend the eligibility to vote
- The Welsh Government to have increased borrowing powers to support capital investment, up to £1 billion
- Extended powers over equalities
- Extended powers over tribunals
- Creation of the Welsh Revenue Authority, a tax authority for Welsh devolved taxes while HMRC collects taxes that are not devolved to Wales
The act recognised the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government as permanent among UK's constitutional arrangements, with a referendum required before either can be abolished. The act has also recognised that there is a body of Welsh law and it established the position of President of Welsh Tribunals.