Senedd

Senedd, officially Senedd Cymru or Welsh Parliament, is the devolved legislature of Wales. It has primary lawmaking and scrutiny powers in devolved areas such as health, education, transport, housing, local government, the environment, and the Welsh language. The Senedd sits in the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay, a purpose-built chamber opened in 2006.

Composition and elections: The body comprises 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs). Members are elected every five years by an Additional Members System, with 40 constituency MSs elected by first-past-the-post and 20 regional MSs elected from party lists. The MSs are elected to represent the people of Wales and to scrutinize the Welsh Government.

Powers and functions: The Senedd can legislate on devolved matters through Acts (subject to reserved matters remaining with the UK Parliament). It can amend and pass budgets, establish committees, and hold the Welsh Government to account through questions, debates, and inquiries. While the UK Parliament retains power over reserved matters, the Sewel convention governs Westminster’s involvement in devolved legislation.

History: The institution originated as the National Assembly for Wales, established by the Government of Wales Act 1998 after a 1997 referendum. It first met in 1999. The National Assembly’s main meeting place is the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay, completed in 2006. In 2020 the body adopted the Welsh name Senedd Cymru, commonly referred to in English as the Welsh Parliament, with a corresponding change in terminology for its members (MSs) and procedures.