Assembly Members vote yes in historic vote on referendum.

9 February 2010

Members of the National Assembly for Wales have voted in favour of a referendum on the legislative powers of the Assembly.

The motion, recommending a referendum, was proposed by the Welsh Government, following the report of the All Wales Convention, published in November 2009.

Today(9 Feb) more than the 40 Assembly Members needed to “trigger” the request for a referendum voted in favour of the motion.

“This is an historic day in the journey that is devolution in Wales,” said Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd-Elis-Thomas AM.

“It will now be up to the people of Wales, provided the Secretary of State for Wales agrees, to decide whether we move to the next phase of devolution.”

The Government of Wales Act 2006 (“the Act”) sets out the current law making process of the Assembly. The Assembly can pass legislation, known as “Assembly Measures”, in matters where the UK Parliament has agreed that it should have the powers to do so.

The Act also allows the Assembly to request that a referendum should be held on whether we should move to the law making process which permits the Assembly to legislate in any devolved area without reference to Westminster.

Now the Assembly has voted in favour, the First Minister will notify the Secretary of State for Wales.

The Secretary of State for Wales now has 120 days to draft a piece of legislation (“ draft Order”) which would include the question of the referendum and the date.

That draft Order would then have to be agreed by 40 Members of the Assembly and approved in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Notes:

You can watch the debate on Senedd TV.

You can find a Guide to the Legislative Process.

You can also look at the findings of the All Wales Convention.