POWERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES

The Welsh Assembly is an executive body that will take on most of the powers and functions of the Welsh Office. It will decide spending priorities, set regulations and formulate policies for Wales in the following areas:

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food.
Ancient monuments and historic buildings.
Culture (including museums, galleries and libraries).
Economic development.
Education and training.
The environment.
Health and health services.
Highways.
Housing.
Industry.
Local government.
Social services.
Sport and recreation.
Tourism.
Town and country planning.
Transport.
Water and flood defence.
The Welsh language.

The Welsh Assembly will not have primary legislative powers, other than in a limited number of areas, principally those concerning the composition and functions of a range of quangos. These will be limited to those quangos not created by Royal Charter or Royal Warrant (such as the National Library) except other than to extend their scope if they should so request it.

The Assembly will have powers to make "Assembly Orders", these are the equivalent of the statutory instruments made currently by ministers. These orders are secondary legislation - that is Parliament creates laws that form a framework which the orders flesh out.
Thus the Assembly will be able to reorganise the Tourist Board, change examination systems, create a unified transport policy for Wales etc.

In addition the Assembly will have the right to be consulted on a wide range of issues.

The Secretary of State for Wales will be required to submit details of any planned legislative programme for Wales to the Assembly for consultation.

The Assembly will have a representative at the United Kingdom's office in Brussels, thus giving the Assembly access to all discussion papers etc produced by the EU that would otherwise only be scene by the member Governments.

An Assembly representative will also have the right to attend meetings of the European Council of Ministers as an observer when matters within its jurisdiction are being discussed. The government has also stated that it will draw up a Concordat (see section on relationship to other bodies) to govern the attendance of a representative of the Assembly, and to permit the Assembly representative to act as the UK representative on the Council of Ministers on specially designated occasions.

Disputes
In the event of a dispute over the exercise of its powers the courts have the right to determine whether the assembly has acted within its abilities. Final appeal resting with the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

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