Law making in Wales: an on-line analysis

On 1 July 1999 the National Assembly for Wales came into existence. Its functions were, and continue to be, transferred by Orders in Council and Acts of Parliament. This is a unique arrangement under the various devolution settlements introduced in the UK at this time. A basic element of the rule of law is that citizens can access the law. It was not apparent to the project team that the National Assembly had any plans to make its functions routinely accessible to any user, whether these were transferred to it, or functions that it legislated for itself under its statutory powers. The purpose of this project was to create a database that would be of use to the academic, public and professional communities that would wish to examine the Assembly’s functions. It does this by analysing all of the functions exercisable by the Assembly in terms of the 18 subject headings set out in Schedule 2 to the Government of Wales Act 1998. Each entry summarises their statutory authority, purpose and legal effect. The on-line analysis, which is free to all users, has provided the raw material for official enquiries and academic research into the Assembly’s functions.