The next Senedd election is scheduled for 6 May. In recognition of the need to ensure a level playing field for all candidates during the election period, all committee activity will cease with effect from 7 April (except very limited activity in relation to urgent subordinate legislation or the provisions of Welsh Elections (Coronavirus) Act 2021). New committees are expected to be established before summer 2021.
Primary Legislation
Bills introduced to the Senedd
The remit of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee is to carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 21 and to consider any other matter relating to legislation, justice and the constitution within or relating to the competence of the Senedd or the Welsh Ministers, including the scrutiny of Bills introduced in the Senedd.
Reports by the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee on Bills introduced in the Senedd can be found under ‘Published Reports’ below.
Legislative Consent
When the UK Parliament wishes to legislate on a subject matter which has already been devolved to the Senedd, convention requires it to receive the consent of the Senedd before it may pass the legislation in question.
Reports on legislative consent memoranda by the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee can be found under ‘Published Reports’ below.
Subordinate Legislation
In Wales, the Welsh Ministers make subordinate legislation using powers given to them in enabling acts such as Senedd Acts, Assembly Measures and Acts of the UK Parliament. Subordinate legislation is also often referred to as delegated legislation, because the power to make subordinate legislation is delegated by the enabling act. Subordinate legislation is also referred to as secondary legislation.
Other work
Remit
The committee was established on 15 June 2016 to carry out the functions of the responsible committee set out in Standing Order 21 (excluding Standing Orders 21.8 to 21.11*) and to consider any other matter relating to legislation, justice and the constitution** within or relating to the competence of the Senedd or the Welsh Ministers, including the quality of legislation.
The name of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee was changed to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee on 29 January 2020 following a motion agreed in the Senedd. See also the report of the Business Committee, amending the title of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, January 2020.
Any reference on the Senedd’s webpages, Senedd TV or in meeting transcripts to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee before 29 January 2020 should be read as a reference to the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee.
The Committee’s remit was amended following resolutions in Plenary on 14 September 2016* and 29 January 2020**.