175.Through the Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 (‘the 1976 Act’) it was intended that the economic and social wellbeing of the people of rural Wales would be promoted, particularly the welfare of mid-Wales. The 1976 Act established the Development Board for Rural Wales that, amongst other matters, took over the work of the Mid-Wales Development Corporation and the Development Commission.
176.Most of the provisions of the 1976 Act are already repealed (mostly by the 1998 Act’), leaving only sections 23, 26 and 35. As the Development Board for Rural Wales ceased to exist in 1998, these last remaining provisions are now spent. It therefore appears appropriate to remove them from the statute book, together with the provisions in the 1998 Act that abolished the Development Board.
177.Paragraph 50 of this Schedule therefore repeals the 1976 Act (which has the effect of repealing the last remaining provisions) and paragraph 51 amends the 1998 Act to:
Commentary on Sections Part 3 – Repeals of Welsh Legislation Part 12 – Development Board for Rural Wales