Written statement (Wales) on Strengthening Devolution - Mar 25
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Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary
for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Welsh Government has a
long-standing commitment to strengthen our devolution settlement,
in line with recommendations made by a series of high-profile
commissions, including the Independent Commission on the
Constitutional Future of Wales and our own Programme for
Government. This statement sets out progress and the next steps.
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Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Welsh Government has a long-standing commitment to strengthen our devolution settlement, in line with recommendations made by a series of high-profile commissions, including the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales and our own Programme for Government. This statement sets out progress and the next steps. Youth Justice Delivering Justice for Wales, which was first published in 2022, set out how we would seek a phased approach to the devolution of justice, starting with youth justice, probation and policing. We are committed to achieving the full devolution of these services. The Welsh and UK governments have today agreed a joint statement, which includes a series of firm commitments to devolve specific UK Government responsibilities for funding local youth justice services, and to work with a new Welsh Government to go further, and to expand the role of Welsh Government oversight of those services. New youth justice functions are planned to come into effect from April 2027. Probation The Welsh and UK governments and Wales' four Police and Crime Commissioners have committed to work together to produce by the end of 2026 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU will focus on areas where reoffending can be reduced through closer co-operation between the Probation Service and devolved services in Wales, including giving greater local flexibility in tailoring services to the needs of individuals under probation supervision in Wales. It will be informed by a report being published today by the Wales Centre for Public Policy which considers the opportunities offered by the MoU and the steps which may be required to make a success of it. I am very grateful to the WCPP and to all those who contributed to the this extremely significant piece of work. The UK Government has also committed to a strategic review of probation governance, which includes exploring how devolved models can enable it to be more locally responsive. Policing The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice set out the Welsh Government's response to the UK Government's proposals to create new governance arrangements for policing at the end of police and crime commissioners' term in 2028. We remain of the view that policing should be devolved to Wales although we recognise that this is not the policy of the current UK Government. However, the UK Government's policy of moving local policing governance into local government brings it into the sphere of devolved responsibility. This means proposals to replace police and crime commissioners will inevitably need to reflect the distinct governance arrangements in Wales. We have worked with Wales' four police and crime commissioners, local government and other partners to develop new governance arrangements for Wales and have put these to the UK Government for consideration. These are based around the creation of regional Policing and Crime Boards, which include council leaders and members, formalising in law the role of the existing Police Partnership Board for Wales, which is chaired by Welsh Ministers. Rail Following the inclusion of a Railways Bill in the UK Government's legislative programme, we have been working closely with the UK Government to ensure the Bill achieves the best deal for Wales. We have agreed a specific clause in the Bill, which has led to the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Secretary of State for Transport and Welsh Ministers. The MoU will include commitments to:
The MoU will be supported by a partnership agreement between the new organisation created through the Bill, GBR, and TfW. This will ensure we are working towards jointly agreed shared objectives for Wales and Borders rail services and UK services serving destinations in the Wales and Borders geography. The MoU is a living agreement and will be kept under review as the Bill progresses through Parliament and once it receives Royal Assent. This is important to ensure it reflects the evolving nature of the rail network and services. Our ambition remains the full devolution of rail services and infrastructure, to enable us to deliver an improved and better integrated transport system for Wales. This marks a significant step forward in our collaborative approach to rail reform. Employability Support The UK and Welsh governments have agreed how they will deliver the UK Government's commitment to devolve non-Jobcentre Plus employment support funding to Wales over the course of the current UK Parliament. This has already started with the agreement to transfer up to £20m for the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer pilots over this year and next. Blaenau Gwent, Denbighshire and Neath Port Talbot will remain the principal pilot areas in 2026-27, but we will be expanding pilots across all local authority areas in Wales. Further funding from agreed new employment programmes being delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions will be transferred to Wales to design and deliver employment support schemes closer to local communities using the Welsh Government's Employability Support Programme. UK Government employment support already available or with a funding agreement in place will continue and will not be in scope. This will strengthen the Welsh Government's ability to assist people in Wales to move closer to employment and enter the workforce, helping to improve living standards across Wales and support economic growth. The Crown Estate In September 2025, I created an independent, expert-led group to consider the future of energy devolution and the Crown Estate in Wales in line with the recommendations of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales and reflecting the ongoing campaign about devolution of the Crown Estate. I am today publishing the group's interim report, which includes four recommendations, which are aimed at improving the Crown Estate's governance and accountability structures to maximise the economic and social benefits for the people of Wales in a manner which increases public trust and sets out a pathway towards devolution. I welcome the positive ongoing relationship we have with the Crown Estate and thank the group for its suggestions about how the next Welsh Government can continue to work in partnership with the Crown Estate to ensure Wales maximises the benefits from future investment into the Celtic Sea. The Crown Estate has committed to a deeper working relationship with the Welsh Government. We are committed to securing the devolution of the Crown Estate in Wales. We recognise that devolution is a process, not an event, and that in Scotland it took three parliamentary terms to successfully deliver. This interim report is an important step forward. |