Welsh Government sets up National Commission to advise on constitutional future of Wales

An independent, standing body, the National Commission has been tasked with four core functions. These are to:

• Provide independent advice on devolution priorities, including areas such as the Crown Estate, rail infrastructure, justice and policing.
• Support an ongoing national conversation about Wales’s constitutional future, engaging with people across Wales and supporting inclusive and informed public debate.
• Strengthen the evidence base for future discussion and decision-making through research on key political, economic and democratic questions relevant to Wales’s future.
• Help inform future reform by considering the three viable options identified by the Independent Commission: enhanced devolution, a federal United Kingdom, and independence.

The National Commission will be chaired by Dame Menna Rawlings and Professor Emyr Lewis.

Dafydd Trystan Davies, Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution, said: “The way the United Kingdom is structured and governed is under increasing strain, and debates about devolution, accountability and where decisions should be made are increasingly pressing.

“Responsible government means ensuring Wales is ready to shape its own future, with the evidence, advice and democratic space needed to make informed choices. This is not an abstract debate. It is about whether Wales has the right tools, powers and democratic arrangements to deliver better outcomes for our people.”

He added: “That preparation cannot be the work of government alone. It requires a broad, open and constructive conversation across this Senedd and across Wales.

“The future constitutional development of Wales should be shaped with people across Wales, not simply presented to them.

“Together, we have an opportunity to help shape a confident, democratic and ambitious future for Wales.”

Harry Rodd