The Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38) is an Act of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprem ...

. It was passed in 1998 by the Labour government to create a Welsh Assembly, therefore granting Wales a degree of self-government. This legislative body would later come to be known as the Senedd Cymru, or the Welsh Parliament.

Background

The Act led to the establishment of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the r ...

in 1999, after the

1997 Welsh devolution referendum The Welsh devolution referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative referendum held in Wales on 18 September 1997 over whether there was support for the creation of a National Assembly for Wales, and therefore a degree of self-government. The re ...

approved the creation of a devolved Parliament for Wales.

Provisions

The Act's provisions include the following: *Transferring most of the powers of the Secretary of State for Wales to the National Assembly for Wales. *Transferring

Ancient Monuments Board for Wales Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cove ...

, Education and Learning Wales, Historic Buildings Council for Wales, Library Advisory Council for Wales, Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales, Wales Tourist Board, Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board, Welsh Development Agency,

Welsh Language Board The Welsh Language Board ( cy, Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg) was a statutory body set up by Her Majesty's Government under the Welsh Language Act 1993. It was an Assembly Sponsored Public Body. It began its life under John Walter Jones, and its las ...

, Environment Agency Wales,

Countryside Council for Wales The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW; cy, Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru (CCGC)) was a Welsh Assembly sponsored body responsible for wildlife conservation, landscape and countryside access authority for Wales. It was merged with Forestry Commis ...

Higher Education Funding Council for Wales The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) is the Welsh Government Sponsored Body responsible for funding the higher education sector. Functions HEFCW distributes funds for education, research and related activities at Wales's hi ...

, Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting,

Arts Council of Wales The Arts Council of Wales (ACW; cy, Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru) is a Welsh Government-sponsored body, responsible for funding and developing the arts in Wales. Established within the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1946, as the Welsh Arts C ...

National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million ...

, National Museum of Wales, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales,

Sports Council for Wales Sport Wales ( Welsh: ''Chwaraeon Cymru'') is the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity in Wales. Working alongside partners such as governing bodies of sport and local authorities, they aim t ...

and Forestry Commission Wales to the National Assembly for Wales. *Abolishing Development Board for Rural Wales, Land Authority for Wales, Residuary Body for Wales and Housing for Wales. *Establishing position of the Auditor General for Wales.

Background

Provisions

See also