National Assembly for Wales

Welsh government

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July 16, 2026

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The National Assembly for Wales, established in 1999, is responsible for various domestic matters within Wales, including economic planning, education, health, and environmental issues. While foreign relations and many other domestic affairs are handled by the British government in London, the Welsh Assembly gained direct lawmaking powers in 2011, allowing it to enact laws without prior parliamentary consent.1

The Assembly consists of 60 members: 40 directly elected and 20 chosen by proportional representation. It elects a first minister to lead the government. The Welsh government also manages and collects taxes following the Wales Act of 2014, which established the Welsh Revenue Authority. Local government functions are handled by 22 units, comprising 14 counties and 8 county boroughs, with community councils forming the lowest tier.12

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United Kingdom
London’s local government, House of Lords reform, and devolution for Scotland and Wales
…in Wales and Scotland, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament were established in 1999 and granted powers previously reserved for the central government. Yet, with the exception of political devolution to the component states of the United Kingdom, the Labour Party remained reluctant to reform the constitution,…
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…in Wales and Scotland, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament were established in 1999 and granted powers previously reserved for the central government. Yet, with the exception of political devolution to the component states of the United Kingdom, the Labour Party remained reluctant to reform the constitution,…
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Wales
Constitutional framework
However, the National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru), established in Cardiff in 1999, assumed several responsibilities, including urban and rural development, economic planning, health and welfare, culture, education, transportation, tourism, and environmental matters. Before approval of a referendum in 2011 that extended direct lawmaking powers to…
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However, the National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru), established in Cardiff in 1999, assumed several responsibilities, including urban and rural development, economic planning, health and welfare, culture, education, transportation, tourism, and environmental matters. Before approval of a referendum in 2011 that extended direct lawmaking powers to…
Read More