How could the Senedd reform affect you?

Plans to change the size of the Senedd and the way that it’s elected reach a crucial stage today (Tuesday 5th March) with a marathon session of debating and voting.

The Welsh Government, with support from Plaid Cymru, is proposing a series of changes which will see the number of members increase from 60 to 96 and a new voting system introduced based on new multi-member super-constituencies along with other changes to the system.

The voting system has met with opposition from within Labour and Plaid Cymru while the whole project has been criticised by the Conservatives as an expensive “vanity project.”

At the moment there are 60 Senedd Members or MSs. If these changes go through, that number would increase to 96.

Supporters say that more are needed because the Welsh Parliament has more law-making power than when it was first created and the Welsh Government needs more scrutiny. Opponents say it’s a waste of money creating more politicians.

And the way they’re elected would change. Currently we choose 40 from constituencies and 20 from a “top-up” list. The new system would see 16 new “super constituencies” each with SIX Senedd members.

You wouldn’t vote for an individual, you’d vote for a political party and the winners would be chosen from lists that the parties provide.

Supporters say that’s fairer and would reflect the votes all parties won. Opponents say it would destroy the link between voters and the person representing them.

There are other changes too, such as reducing the time between Senedd elections from five years to four and requiring that anyone wanting to become a Senedd Member must live here in Wales.

From this afternoon, MSs will discuss the legislation introducing the changes, the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill in an unusual way known as a “Committee of the Whole Senedd.”

Just as happens in the UK Parliament, every bill in the Welsh Parliament goes through a Committee Stage, where a small number of members comb through the legislation and suggest ways that it can be altered through amendments.

In this case, every one of the 60 members will take part in the Committee Stage which will take place in the Senedd Chamber instead of a committee room.

They’ll begin at 3.30pm after the usual Welsh Government question times and continue until 9.30pm before doing the same tomorrow. They’ll be debating and voting on 126 amendments, giving you some idea of how controversial this legislation is and how much focus there is on it.

It’s estimated that the total cost of all the changes over an 8-year period would be between £100m and £120m.

The Conservatives have criticised the whole project as a waste of money. Shadow Constitution Minister Darren Millar said that “The Senedd Reform Bill is another pet project from Labour and Plaid Cymru that is wasting £120 million of taxpayers' money on more politicians when what we really need are more doctors, nurses, dentists and teachers.

"Welsh Government Ministers should be focused on tackling the real priorities of the people of Wales, not job creation schemes for politicians.

“The Welsh Conservatives will continue to oppose these unnecessary proposals and have tabled dozens of amendments to this Bill, including a requirement for any increase in the size of the Senedd and the way that Members of the Welsh Parliament are elected, to be subject to a referendum before they can be implemented."

On the other side of the debate, Plaid Cymru will argue that the changes will "place Welsh democracy on firmer foundations."

The party's leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth said that “Plaid Cymru MSs will be voting this week for a stronger, more democratic and more representative Senedd which will be better able to make a positive difference to the lives of people right across our country. “The reformed Senedd will be better equipped to serve the citizens of Wales, providing better scrutiny of Welsh Government policy and spending decisions, and providing a better focus on improving public services. “Wales should not be democratically shortchanged. Once passed, the Senedd Reform Bill will place Welsh democracy on firmer foundations and bring us closer to the relative sizes of the legislatures in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The health of our democracy depends on it and this stands in stark contrast to the way in which Wales’s representation on a UK level at Westminster is being weakened. “The Senedd has changed beyond recognition since it was formed as the National Assembly 25 years, ago, but its capacity has remained limited. This is another historic step in Wales’s journey, and Plaid Cymru are proud to play a part in it.”

Commenting on today's debate, Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution, said:

“This Bill implements the Senedd’s Special Purpose Committee’s recommendations on Senedd reform, which were endorsed by a majority of Senedd Members in July 2022. The Bill has been through committee scrutiny and the General Principles of the Bill have been accepted.

“Today’s debate is an important part of the process of further shaping the Bill. It’s at this stage that proposed amendments are debated and Members can vote on which ones to take forward.

“The government has put forward a number of amendments, many of which are based on the accepted recommendations from committee scrutiny. Members of the Senedd have put forward their own amendments and we look forward to the debate on Tuesday.”

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