Committee publishes cultural legislative powers report
7 December 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
Powers relating to cultural services provided by county and county borough councils in Wales should be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales, concludes the Welsh Affairs Committee in a report published today
- Report: Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Culture and other fields) Order 2009
- Welsh Affairs Committee
The report examines the National Assembly for Wales’ request for additional legislative powers (via the Legislative Competence Order – LCO – process) to put the provision of cultural services, such as museums, libraries, and sports activities, on a statutory footing.
The purpose of the request is to ensure consistent delivery of these services across the whole of Wales; at present, the Committee was told, there is huge variance in the range and quality of cultural services provided by local authorities in Wales.
The Committee agrees that the transfer of these powers from Westminster to the National Assembly will enable the Assembly Government to implement its policies, is in line with previously stated policy, and that the use of the LCO process is appropriate.
The Chairman of the Committee, Dr Hywel Francis MP, said:
"The value of cultural activities to the social wellbeing of local communities should not be underestimated. Therefore, consistent delivery of these services across the whole of Wales is vitally important. This LCO, the tenth on which we have reported, aims to improve the range and quality of cultural services and we are pleased to support it."