Glossary

A glossary of parliamentary terms

A-Z index of glossary terms

Use the letters below to reveal a list of glossary terms.

R

Term

Recess

Periods during which the Senedd does not formally sit. During this time Members can undertake work in their constituencies.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

Senedd Timetable

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Term

Record of Proceedings (Y Cofnod)

The official record of Plenary meetings which includes all statements, speeches and interventions made by Members of the Senedd and the details of any votes taken. The Record of Proceedings is published by the Senedd's Translation and Reporting Service within 24 hours of the end of the meeting. A record is also taken of committee meetings, a draft version of which is usually published within a week of each meeting. These transcripts are available from the individual committees’ webpages or by Searching the Senedd website.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

About the Record of Proceedings

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Term

Referendum

The process by which a question is referred to the electorate, who vote on it in a similar way to an election. The Senedd was set up following a ‘yes’ vote in a referendum held in September 1997. In March 2011, a referendum was held on the legislative powers of the Senedd. The people of Wales voted in favour of giving the further powers for making laws in Wales, with 63.5% of those voting in favour of the change.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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Term

Regional Members

 See Regions.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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Term

Regions

For the purposes of the Senedd elections, Wales is divided into five regions: South Wales East; South Wales Central; South Wales West; Mid and West Wales; North Wales. Each region elects four Members using a system of proportional representation, called the Additional Member System

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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Term

Register of Members’ Interests

The Senedd maintains and publishes a Register of Members’ Financial and Other Interests and a Record of the Employment of Family Members.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

Register of Members' Interests

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Term

Research Service

A service within the Senedd which provides expert and impartial research and information to support Members and committees in fulfilling the scrutiny, legislative and representative functions of the Senedd.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

Go to Research

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Term

Reserved Matters

Acts of the Senedd must not relate to any reserved matter set out in Schedule 7A (such as modern slavery, electricity, road and rail transport, medicines) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (as amended by the Wales Act 2017)

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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Term

Retained EU law

The body of law that arose from the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union and which has been retained as domestic law following the United Kingdom exiting the European Union.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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Term

Royal Assent

A Bill can only become an Act once it has been approved by the monarch. This is called Royal Assent and is the final stage in the legislative process. All Bills (both from the Senedd and the UK Parliament) must receive Royal Assent in order to become law.

Last Updated 16/12/2024

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