Richard Commission on Welsh legislative body and electing members

After Labour’s decision to blow raspberries at democracy over the weekend, the First Minsters speech on devolution tests and the total lack of alternatives on how we make the system we elected our Assembly members by fair for all coming from any other parties, it’s worth remembering what the Richard Commission had to say on these matters back in 2004.

Their recommendations are on page 262 and state

that there should be a legislative Assembly for Wales on the model in Chapter 13;

in the interim, the framework delegated powers approach should be expanded as far as possible with the agreement of the UK Government
and Parliament;

that, if a legislative Assembly is constituted, it is desirable, though not essential, to confer tax-varying powers;

that to exercise primary powers the Assembly needs an increase in membership to 80 Members;

that the structure of the Assembly should be reconstituted with a separate legislature and executive;

that the present voting system cannot sustain an increase to 80 – the best alternative is the STV system;

these changes should be in place by 2011, or sooner if practicable.

They also laid out a plan for how a Welsh legislative body would look and what powers it would have, the option of tax varying powers is mentioned (page 250)

Box 13.5: A legislative Assembly for Wales

Wales Bill needed to amend Government of Wales Act and confer primary
law-making powers on the Assembly;

Bill specifies reserved matters (Westminster legislates); everything is
devolved to the Assembly unless specifically reserved;

reserved matters could include: the Constitution, defence, fiscal and
monetary policy, immigration and nationality, competition, monopolies and
mergers, employment legislation, most energy matters, railway services
(excluding grants), social security, elections arrangements (except local
elections), most company and commercial law, broadcasting, equal
opportunities, police and criminal justice;

devolved matters: the fields set out in Schedule 2 of Government of Wales
Act i.e. health, education and training, social services, housing, local
government, planning, culture, sport and recreation, the Welsh language,
ancient monuments and historic buildings, economic development, industry,
tourism, transport, highways, agriculture, fisheries, food, forestry,
environment, water and flood defence;

corporate body structure replaced with executive and legislature;

Assembly can construct its own rules of procedure and Standing Orders,
adopted by a majority of two thirds;

executive powers in a particular field can be devolved even if the Assembly
has no corresponding primary legislative powers;

Cardiff legislative programme might contain around four to six government
Bills a year;

change in Membership and electoral system;

option of tax-varying power.
Any source