The Welsh Government has announced the creation of a new National Commission for Wales, an independent body that will lead the next phase of discussions about the nation’s constitutional future.
The commission will serve as a permanent advisory body, providing independent advice, evidence and analysis on constitutional reform and devolution. It aims to create a lasting forum for informed debate on how Wales should be governed in the years ahead.
The new organisation will be co-chaired by Dame Menna Rawlings and Professor Emyr Lewis and is designed to build upon, rather than replicate, the work of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales.
The National Commission for Wales will focus on four core areas:
- Providing independent advice on devolution priorities, including the Crown Estate, rail infrastructure, justice and policing.
- Supporting a continuing national conversation on Wales’s constitutional future through public engagement and informed debate.
- Strengthening the evidence base through research into political, economic and democratic issues affecting Wales.
- Informing future constitutional reform by considering three identified options: enhanced devolution, a federal United Kingdom and Welsh independence.
Welsh Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution, Dafydd Trystan Davies, said:
“The way the United Kingdom is structured and governed is under increasing strain, and debates about devolution, accountability and where decisions should be made are increasingly pressing.
“Responsible government means ensuring Wales is ready to shape its own future, with the evidence, advice and democratic space needed to make informed choices. This is not an abstract debate. It is about whether Wales has the right tools, powers and democratic arrangements to deliver better outcomes for our people.
“That preparation cannot be the work of government alone. It requires a broad, open and constructive conversation across this Senedd and across Wales.
“The future constitutional development of Wales should be shaped with people across Wales, not simply presented to them.
“Together, we have an opportunity to help shape a confident, democratic and ambitious future for Wales.”
The establishment of the commission reflects growing discussion around the future governance of the UK and the role of devolved administrations. By providing independent research, public engagement and policy advice, the Welsh Government hopes to ensure future constitutional decisions are informed by robust evidence and broad public participation.
The commission is expected to play a significant role in shaping future debates on devolution, democratic accountability and Wales’s place within the United Kingdom.
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