1. How are laws made?

2. Lesson Objectives Understand how laws are made in Wales.
How are laws made in Wales?
Lesson Objectives
Understand how laws are made in Wales.
Understand the term devolution.
Explore what areas of law are devolved in Wales.
Explore how the law affects your daily life. 2
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3. Starter What do these three images represent?
How are laws made in Wales?
Starter
What do these three images represent?
What do they have in common and how do they relate to Wales? 3
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4. Devolution in the UK:
The central government in UK has transferred some power to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to create their own laws.
How are laws made in Wales? 4
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5. 5 How are laws made in Wales? Government of Wales Act (1998)
September 1997
Devolution referendum
Government of Wales Act (1998)
Creates the National Assembly for Wales. All the power of the Secretary of State is transferred to the new Assembly.
Government of Wales Act (2006)
Creates a formal separation between the Welsh Assembly (the legislature) and the Welsh Government (the executive).
Provides the assembly with more legal powers. Including a category of legislation called the ‘Welsh Measures’ which allows them to pass Bills quicker.
March 2011
Assembly members vote for more law making powers which allow Wales to create and amend laws in twenty ‘devolved’ areas. 5
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6. Wales has its own government who make policies and laws.
How are laws made in Wales?
Law in Wales
Wales has its own government who make policies and laws.
It is responsible for areas such as health, education, language and culture and public services.
The Welsh Government is separate from the British Government, which has responsibility for UK-wide areas such as tax, defence, foreign policy and benefits.
The National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government are separate organisations
The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people.
It makes laws for Wales and holds the Welsh Government to account.
It has 60 elected Assembly Members (AMs). 6
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7. How are laws made in Wales?
Education
DEVOLVED 7
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8. How are laws made in Wales?
Health
DEVOLVED 8
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9. How are laws made in Wales?
Tax
RESERVED 9
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10. How are laws made in Wales?
Transport
DEVOLVED 10
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11. RESERVED Defence and national security 11 How are laws made in Wales?
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12. Social Services DEVOLVED
How are laws made in Wales?
Social
Services
DEVOLVED 12
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13. How are laws made in Wales?
Culture
DEVOLVED 13
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14. Foreign policy RESERVED
How are laws made in Wales?
Foreign policy
RESERVED 14
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15. How are laws made in Wales?
Benefits
RESERVED 15
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16. How are laws made in Wales?
Tourism
DEVOLVED 16
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17. DEVOLVED Water and flood defences 17 How are laws made in Wales?
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18. How are laws made in Wales?
Housing
DEVOLVED 18
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19. RESERVED Economic policy 19 How are laws made in Wales?
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20. How are laws made in Wales?
Immigration
RESERVED 20
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21. DEVOLVED Sport and recreation 21 How are laws made in Wales?
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22. How are laws made in Wales?
Fire
services
DEVOLVED 22
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23. Devolved areas 23 How are laws made in Wales?
Agriculture, fisheries, forestry and
rural development
Ancient monuments and historic
buildings
Culture
4. Economic development
5. Education and training
6. Environment
7. Fire and rescue services and
promotion of fire safety
8. Food
9. Health and health services
10. Highways and transport
11. Housing
12. Local government
13. National Assembly for Wales
14. Public administration
15. Social welfare
16. Sport and recreation
17. Tourism
18. Town and country planning
19. Water and flood defence
20. Welsh language 23
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24. How are laws made in Wales?
The Welsh Assembly
Welsh laws are officially known as Assembly Bills. They apply only to Wales and not to other parts of the UK. Bills are often proposed by the Welsh Government. The Welsh Assembly debates and decides whether or not to ‘pass’, or in other words make these into law.
UK Parliament:
Whilst laws passed by the Welsh Assembly only apply to Wales the UK Parliament in Westminster also retains the power to introduce laws in a number of areas. These laws still affect Wales.
The EU:
European laws which are applicable to the whole of the European Union will also apply to Wales.  24
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25. Education & Language Policy
How are laws made in Wales?
Education & Language Policy
The Law:
Education and training is largely a devolved area of law.
The Welsh Language Act 1993 gives the Welsh and English language equal status in public life in Wales.
All pupils should study Welsh from ages 3-16, either as a first or second language.
The Education Act 1996 and the School Standards and Framework Act both state that local authorities must have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents.
In addition to this parents, and in the case of sixth form admissions, young people, should be able to express a preference for a school and to give reasons for that preference. This may include the medium of provision. 25
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26. Education & Language Policy
How are laws made in Wales?
Education & Language Policy
Welsh Medium Secondary Schools:
All subjects apart from English are taught through the medium of Welsh. Welsh is the day-to-day language of the school, and is used as the language of communication with the pupils and for the school’s administration.
Bi-Lingual Schools:
A minimum of 50% of subjects must be taught through the medium of Welsh. Day to day both languages are used to communicate with pupils and for the school’s administration, and a high priority is given to creating a Welsh ethos.
Predominantly English with significant use of Welsh:
Both languages are used for teaching, with 20-49% of subjects taught through the medium of Welsh. All subjects would also normally be taught through the medium of English. Both languages are used for communication with the pupils and for the school’s administration.
English medium:
Pupils are mainly taught through the medium of English, and Welsh is taught as a second language up to Key Stage 4. English is the day-to-day language of the school, but some Welsh is also used as a language of communication with the pupils, with the aim of improving their capacity to use everyday Welsh. 26
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27. Education & Language Policy
How are laws made in Wales?
Education & Language Policy
Statistics:
Approximately 16% of pupils attend Welsh-medium schools and study Welsh as a first language.
A further 10% attend bilingual, dual-medium, or English with significant Welsh provision
In 2014, 22.2% of 7 year old learners were assessed through the medium of Welsh first language and 17.1% of 14 year olds were assessed in Welsh first language. 27
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28. Education & Language Policy
How are laws made in Wales?
Education & Language Policy
Questions:
How important do you think it is that the Welsh language is taught in all Welsh schools?
What are the advantages and disadvantages to attending a Welsh medium school?
Some parents have expressed concern when local schools have changed to the Welsh medium. Why do you think this is?
Do you think it is fair that local authorities must educate young people in accordance with the wishes of their parents? Why? What problems could this cause? 28
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29. Drug Use and Supply The Law:
How are laws made in Wales?
Drug Use and Supply
The Law:
Drug use and possession is a reserved area of law. This means that the law for this area is the responsibility of the UK Government.
The laws controlling drug use are complicated but there are three main statutes regulating the availability of drugs in the UK: 
The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) 
The Medicines Act (1968)
The Psychoactive Substances Act (2016) 29
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30. Drug Use and Supply 30 Maximum Penalties How are laws made in Wales?
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31. How are laws made in Wales?
Drug Use and Supply
Less serious offences are usually dealt with by magistrates’ courts. In such cases sentences can’t exceed six months and/or a £5,000 fine, or three months and/or a fine. Most drug offenders are convicted of unlawful possession.
The maximum penalties for both possession and supply are severe. However, only around one in five people convicted of possession receive a custodial sentence and even fewer actually go to prison, with the majority of fines £50 or less. 31
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32. How are laws made in Wales?
Questions:
Do you agree that drug use and possession should be reserved areas of law? Why/Why not?
What would happen if the criminal legal systems in England and Wales were different?
Would this be fair?
Can you propose an alternative legal system? 32
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33. How are laws made in Wales?
The Environment
As Wales is currently part of the European Union, it has to comply with European law. There is a wide range of EU legislation regarding the environment.
Areas covered include:
Waste management
Air pollution
Noise pollution
Water pollution
Genetically modified organisms
The environmental impact of some public services 33
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34. How are laws made in Wales?
The Environment
Wales must provide information to the European Commission about how they are implementing the rules and about how effective they have been.
There are also several international conventions on environmental protection. Generally these are ratified by and implemented through EU legislation. 34
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35. Environment (Wales) Act 2016:
How are laws made in Wales?
Environment (Wales) Act 2016:
In addition to complying with EU law the Welsh government has developed a number of approaches to environmental protection in Wales.
The Act has been designed to help secure Wales’ long-term well-being, so that current and future generations benefit from a prosperous economy, a healthy and resilient environment and vibrant, cohesive communities. It positions Wales as a low carbon, green economy, ready to adapt to the impacts of climate change. 35
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36. The Environment and Brexit
How are laws made in Wales?
The Environment and Brexit
The UK is set to leave the European Union on the 29th March Politicians are currently debating what should happen post Brexit with regards to environmental law.
Many would argue that after Brexit it will be important to maintain common frameworks for action on environmental protection across the UK. However, others will say that there must also be room for devolved approaches in meeting, and possibly exceeding, these common standards 36
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37. How are laws made in Wales?
Questions
What are the advantages and disadvantages of EU legislation concerning the environment?
Post Brexit do you think that the environment should be a devolved or reserved area of law? Why? 37
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