Changes to strengthen the Senedd and better represent the people of Wales must and can be delivered by 2026 a Senedd Committee has recommended.
The Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform’s new report, Reforming our Senedd, has proposed a radical package of reforms which would result in more powerful scrutiny of government, a more diverse membership including better representation for women, a move away from the current “mixed member” system to a proportional voting system, and an increase to 96 Members of the Senedd along with boundary reforms.
The Committee is recommending that Wales leads the way in the UK by becoming the first Parliament to introduce a gender quota.
The Committee strongly recommends that changes are in place for the 2026 Senedd elections and has set out a clear timetable to achieve this, with the expectation that the Welsh Government will introduce a reform Bill next year.
Chair of the Senedd’s Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, said:
“Our report sets out a plan for a strengthened Parliament which will provide a stronger voice for the people of Wales.
“Today’s Senedd is very different to the institution that was established over 20 years ago. Its powers have increased to meet the ambitions of our modern and proud nation. It can now make laws and set Welsh taxes, issues which affect the lives of every single person in Wales.
"With greater powers must come greater accountability. We need a parliament that can effectively scrutinise the decisions taken by the Welsh Government, on behalf of the public it serves. The current system doesn’t allow that to be done as well as it should be.
“We believe reform is essential, and it is achievable by 2026.”
Despite increased responsibilities, the current Senedd remains smaller than its other devolved counterparts, with the Scottish Parliament having 129 Members and the Northern Ireland Assembly having 90. The Senedd currently has 60 Members.
Huw Irranca-Davies added:
“The changes we are recommending will be a positive step to making our Parliament better reflective of Wales’s communities. By leading the way on gender quotas, it will mean women – a majority group in Wales – will have certainty of fair representation, which can only lead to better and fairer outcomes for us all.
“This would further the Senedd’s journey to being better reflective of the experiences, needs and hopes of the population it serves, helping people to feel more included and heard in the democratic process.”
According to the Committee’s recommendations, the road to reform should continue with a Welsh Government Bill to be introduced next year. It is estimated this could receive Royal Assent by May 2024, in time to begin a boundary review, with the aim for this to be completed by April 2025.
The report provides detailed proposals for a new electoral system in Wales, intended to provide greater proportionality and better reflect the will of the people of Wales. It recommends closed proportional lists are used and that seats are allocated using the D’Hondt System, the system currently used for the regional list part of the current electoral system.
According to its recommendations, there should be 16 Senedd constituencies and each should have the same number of Senedd members (six).
The 2026 elections should use the final 32 UK Parliamentary constituencies proposed by the Boundary Commission for Wales once it concludes its 2023 Parliamentary Review. These should be paired to create 16 new multi-member constituencies.
A motion for a plenary debate on the Committee’s report has been tabled for 8 June 2022