Background
4.In May 2012 the Government published “A Green Paper on future electoral arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales” which sought views on a number of proposed changes to how the Assembly is elected. Following public consultation, the Secretary of State for Wales announced in March 2013 that the Government would bring forward legislation to change the length of an Assembly term from four years to five years, to remove the prohibition on a candidate at an Assembly election standing in both a constituency and a region and to bring to an end the practice of Assembly Members (“AMs”) also sitting in the House of Commons.
5.In October 2011 the Government established the Silk Commission to review the current financial and constitutional arrangements in Wales. The Commission published its first report in November 2012, making 33 recommendations to improve the financial accountability of the Assembly and the Welsh Government. The Government responded formally in November 2013, accepting most of the Commission’s recommendations.
6.The Bill was published in draft on 18 December 2013 and was subject to Pre-Legislative scrutiny by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee whose report was published on 28 February 2014. The Government responded to the Committee on 20 March 2014.