The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Property, Rights and Liabilities) Order 2007
The Government of Wales Act 1998 (c.38), which provided for devolution of power to Wales, established a body corporate known as the National Assembly for Wales. Unlike the devolution arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the 1998 Act did not provide for a separation of the legislature from the executive. Although its statutory functions are in law the responsibility of the Assembly as the corporate body, in practice however most of the Assembly’s powers (excluding those of a predominantly legislative character) are exercised on its behalf by Assembly Ministers (referred to in the 1998 Act as “Assembly Secretaries”) under delegation arrangements approved by the Assembly in plenary session. The Assembly holds Ministers to account for exercise of these functions. This system was reflected by the titles “Welsh Assembly Government” to describe what was in practice the executive, and “Assembly Parliamentary Service” describing the legislature.