Commentary on Sections and Schedules Duties placed on Ministers
218.Under the 1998 Act, the Assembly is required to establish a Partnership Council with Welsh local government, and establish close working or consultative relations with the voluntary sector and the business community respectively. Each of these duties will transfer to the Welsh Ministers under sections 72-75 of the Act , requiring the Assembly Government to establish stakeholder management relationships with these respective interests. In the same way, the 1998 Act places duties on the Assembly both to make arrangements with a view to securing that its functions are exercised with due regard to equality of opportunity, and to make a scheme setting out how it will promote sustainable development in the exercise of its functions. Sections 77 and 79 place analogous obligations on the Welsh Ministers, while section 78 places obligations on the Welsh Ministers in relation to the Welsh Language.
219.Sections 80, 81 and 82 set out limitations on the Welsh Ministers’ powers deriving from international relations in the fields of Community Law, Human rights, and International Obligations. These carry forward the provisions of ss.106-108 of the 1998 Act, which place equivalent limitations on the Assembly.