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Government: Legislative Programme for Wales

Volume 696: debated on Wednesday 7 November 2007

My right honourable friend the Secretary of Sate for Wales has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I am pleased to inform the House that the Queen's Speech on Tuesday 6 November unveiled the Government's third Session legislative programme which contains 11 Bills with Welsh provisions.

There will be three Bills with framework provisions for Wales:

Education and Skills Bill;

Local Transport Bill; and

Planning Reform Bill.

Further information on these provisions will be made available as they are introduced.

There are currently a further eight Bills in the programme which may contain specific provisions for Wales, which will generally be provisions to confer the same powers on Welsh Ministers, in devolved areas of responsibility, as are being conferred on UK Ministers in those areas in relation to England. These are:

Health and Social Care Bill;

Sale of Student Loans Bill;

Children and Young Persons Bill;

Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill;

Climate Change Bill;

Energy Bill;

Housing and Regeneration Bill; and

Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill.

The Government are committed to delivering devolution and this Session, the first since the Government of Wales Act 2006 has come into effect, will see a record number of proposals for legislative competence to be transferred from Westminster to the National Assembly for Wales, both through framework powers, and by using the new Order in Council process. This marks a coming of age of devolution in Wales, with the Assembly being given the law-making power it needs to properly implement its own policies for the benefit of the people of Wales.