The Senedd Papers – Presiding Officer backs IWA initiative to widen policy debate in Wales
22 January 2014
The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, will welcome the Institute of Welsh Affairs to the Senedd, on 22 January, for the launch of “The Senedd Papers”.
They are a series of discussion papers which aim to spark debate about Wales’s policy options.
Each paper will draw on the experience of experts and leading practitioners, and will be launched with the support of the National Assembly for Wales with lunchtime panel discussions being hosted in the Senedd.
“For democracy to work there needs to be an engaged electorate and civil society,” Dame Rosemary said.
“One of the core objectives for the National Assembly for Wales’s Commission during the Fourth Assembly is to increase engagement with the people of Wales.
“That is, we aim to create an environment that encourages interest in the work of the Assembly and facilitates participation in the Assembly’s roles of legislating, scrutiny and representation.
“The IWA plays an important role in Welsh civic life in terms of developing Wales’s public policy landscape - and by anchoring this series of discussion papers to the seat of Welsh Governance, we are highlighting the central role that the National Assembly now plays in developing and scrutinising public policy in Wales.
“I believe that the Senedd should be the focus of this kind of policy debate and it therefore gives me great pleasure to welcome the IWA to the Senedd and to support the launch of The Senedd Papers.”
The first paper, “A Citizen’s Service for Wales”, will be launched in the Senedd’s media briefing room at 12.30 on Wednesday 22 January.
It has been written by Andy Bevan and will look at the twin challenges of youth unemployment and an ageing population.
Lee Waters, Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, said: “The aim of the Senedd Papers series is to provoke fresh thinking and debate.
“As Wales’s leading independent think-tank, the strength of the IWA is that we can act as a broker between experts, practitioners and policy makers.
“By searching out ideas and helping to sketch how they would work in practice, we hope to help each of the political parties develop proposals that have the potential to make a difference.”