ALL WALES CONVENTION

The Celtic League have submitted views as part of the All Wales Convention consultation process (see below):

«Dear Secretariat

All Wales Convention consultation

After consulting with our Cymru Branch and other members, we would like the following points to be taken into consideration, as part of the All Wales Convention consultation process on the topic of obtaining greater law making powers for Wales.

In writing to you I would like to point out that the Celtic League aims to work towards full independence for Wales and all of the other Celtic countries. We hope that gaining full law making powers is part of the process towards independence and this is part of the reason why we have chosen to engage in this consultation.

The Celtic League campaigns on a broad range of issues in a number of areas, including the environment, culture, politics, language and social affairs. We have specialisms and interests in all these areas and our members are made up of a wide cross section of society, throughout the Celtic countries. We therefore believe we are able to offer a fairly balanced view point as part of the consultation and also a unique insight into how Wales can also be seen from an outside Celtic perspective.

The points laid out below however, stem from a predominantly Welsh view point and we hope that they will be useful in helping you toform a consensus of opinion. Many thanks for your good work.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot General Secretary Celtic League

All Wales Convention: call for evidence (Celtic league)

1) We don't believe that there is a wide understanding about how the current devolution settlement is structured or organised. We would be surprised for instance if the public generally understood the principle of separation of powers between the Welsh Assembly Government and the National Assembly for Wales or the distinction between the Welsh Assembly Government's executive authority in devolved policy areas, and the Assembly's legislative powers in some of those devolved policy areas.

2) We feel though that the Welsh public are beginning to gain a better understanding of the policy areas that have been devolved, but are still unclear as to which policy areas are not 'devolved matters'. This could indeed by made more widely known among the general public. We believe that the Welsh public's understanding of how the Assembly functions on a day to day basis has grown, but we feel that this could be made even more clear by 'interacting' with the general public in various ways to show the public that that 'ownership' of the Assembly lies with Wales and not with England.

3) People are most aware that the Assembly is able to gradually acquire legislative powers in a wider range of devolved policy areas. This needs to be better publicised though, because we feel that a sizable minority think that the current devolution settlement was a 'one off' agreement and was not necessarily meant as a process towards something more.

4) People in Wales have begun to feel more in touch with the democratic process, especially in the south (mainly due to the closer proximity of the Assembly). Also the public have become more aware of the responsibilities of their elected representatives, whom they feel can be more easily held accountable. A good example of this is the use of the Assembly's petition process, where the general public can petition the Assembly on a variety of matters. This is also a good example of how the Assembly is able to interact with the general population and thus serve their needs better, while at the same time giving people a feeling that they are in control.

5) Devolution has led to a greater feeling of 'ownership' of the political process among the general population in Wales and an increased sense of pride in the political process in their country. Some of the social and health reforms in Wales that have been achieved since devolution have had a big positive impact on the way people have perceived the Assembly, because they have affected and benefited ordinary peoples' lives directly.

6) People in Wales still see that the Assembly is restricted in what it can do and for this reason, we think, comments such as 'its just a talking shop' abound. These feelings can be overcome, we believe, by enhancing the powers of the Assembly so that it is able to touch people's lives more directly and frequently. If this does not occur, then the Assembly risks being seen as an additional layer of Government that the Welsh people pay for but get very little benefit from.

7) Devolution has changed perceptions of Wales from both within and from outside. Wales, as a national entity and all that entails, is taken much more seriously than it was before devolution in the minds of people from within and outside of the country.

8) Devolution gave people in Wales a stronger sense of pride and sense of well being in who they are and where they are going politically. People have begun to see that London is no longer in complete control of the political decision making process and consequently peoples' own perception of Wales' place in the world has come into clearer focus.

9) The feeling has also grown that Wales is able to compete on a fairer footing, both within the UK and internationally (although of course this is still not on an equal basis). Perceptions of Wales as a nation in its own right have grown internationally, because of devolution. If devolution had not occurred, Wales would have suffered in a whole number of ways in the international arena.

10) Today, in part due to the devolution process, Wales is seen as an 'emerging' nation in its own right on the international stage.

11) In our view the current devolution settlement doesn't work particularly well, because people are not aware enough of the political competencies that have been transferred to Wales, how the devolution process works or exactly how the Welsh Assembly Government and the National Assembly for Wales are structured. We realise that devolution is still new in Wales and that it will take some time yet for people to become familiar with the governmental and political developments, but we think that more could be done to publicise the Welsh Government and Assembly among the general populace and especially in schools.

12) Also even though some policy areas have been devolved they have not been devolved completely e.g. planning and the environment. This inevitably leads to confusion as to what can or can't be done. Neither is this, in our opinion, transparent democracy.

13) A democratic deficit is the inability for the Welsh Assembly to be able to fully scrutinise the work of the Welsh Assembly Government.

14) In consideration of the limited legislative powers that the Welsh Assembly Government and the Assembly have, we believe that they have been fairly successful in dealing with legislation for Wales. Admittedly some of this legislation has been very creative in order to overcome the difficulties imposed by the restrictive devolution package e.g. the banning of smoking in public places.

15) The Celtic League has taken part in the online petitions process run by the Assembly of Wales Government and we have found this an effective means of making our views known.

16) We believe that the civil service, National Assembly Parliamentary Service, civil society and the legal community should ideally be substantially increased and developed before powers to pass Acts could be transferred to the Assembly. A distinct Welsh legal system and civil service would be necessary for Wales to be able to deal effectively with primary legislation.

17) We do not believe that the time is quite right for the people of Wales to be given the opportunity to make a judgement, because people have not been informed adequately enough of what the options are. Also the wording of any referendum would need close scrutiny. The benefits of further devolution to the people of Wales would need to be explained clearly over a period of time, otherwise the situation will arise where people will vote no, as a safety precaution, because they will not know what it is they will be agreeing to. Also confidence needs to continue to be built up between the people of Wales and the Welsh Assembly and Welsh Government.

18) However, saying this we do not feel that a referendum should be a long term aim. Rather we believe that the momentum towards a referendum needs to be built up, but should occur before the next Welsh Assembly elections in 2011.»

(Article prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League 01/02/09