Wales

Question 1

Why less demand for independence or further devolution in Wales than Scotland?

Answer 1

Wales - absorbed in the English state in medieval times so it didn’t develop a distinct legal system.
Senedd voted for Senedd Cymru Bill which creates a modern Senedd - better representation for people, make law and have a capacity to scrutinise

Question 2

1997 Welsh devolution refrendum

Answer 2

50.3% of the electorate voted for a National assembly for Wales, on a 50.2% turnout

Question 3

The gov of Wales act 1998

Answer 3

Gave secondary legislative powers to the assembly - devolved powers

Question 4

The gov of Wales act 2006

Answer 4

Executive and legislature separate, giving it limited powers of primary legislature.

Provided for another referendum to be held on whether Wales should be allowed further devolved powers.

Question 5

2011 referendum

Answer 5

Low turnout : 35.4% but in favour of Wales being given the power to enact primary legislation in all areas where power had been devolved to it e.g education and health

Question 6

The gov of Welsh act 2014

Answer 6

More power devolved to Wales; control of a number of taxes : stamp duty, land tax and landfill tax. Changed Welsh Assembly gov to Welsh gov

Question 7

The gov of Wales act 2017

Answer 7

Wales now has the right to vary income tax by up to 10p in the £, giving the Welsh Assembly new primary legislative powers over electoral arrangements, transport and energy.

Welsh gov - permanent feature of the UK constitution can’t be abolished by an act of Par but a referendum with the people

Question 8

The Senedd and Elections act 2020

Answer 8

16 & 17 year olds have the right to vote, beginning with the 2021 Senedd election

Question 9

Positive impacts of devolution

Answer 9

Wales more Lab voting than England, so Lab govs introduced more left-wing legislation e.g free prescriptions 2007

Wales the 1st part of the UK to introduce a sing/e-use plastic bag charge in 2011

1st country in the world to declare a ‘climate emergency’

Question 10

Negatives/issues left unresolved

Answer 10

No notable growth I support for an independent Wales,

Lab more resilient in Wales then Scotland so Plaid Cymru hasn’t achieved a breakthrough in either Westminster Par or the Senedd

2021 Senedd election results, 46.6% turnout, 60 seat total. Lab 39.9% - 30 seats, Con 26.1% - 16 seats, Plaid Cymru 20.7% - 13 seats

Devolution in W & S unitary nature of the UK constitution gradually replaced with a more federal structure in which central gov sovereignty is restricted by the permanent transfer of powers to 2 constituent parts of the UK