A report said that Wales s devolution settlement had left it at a disadvantage in formulating innovative economic policies to deal with the loss of manufacturing jobs, when compared with Scotland. The claim was rejected by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Source: John Osmond (ed.), Second Term Challenge: Can the Welsh Assembly government hold its course?, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511) and Constitution Unit/University of London | Press release 25 November 2003, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: IWA press release | WAG press release
Date: 2003-Nov
Researchers examined the strategies used by women activists in the devolved governments, and the impacts of constitutional change on women's political roles and identities. Women had managed to 'gender' mainstream debates and promote equality issues. However, the 'extraordinary' politics of Northern Ireland, and gender issues getting lost in the broader equalities agenda, remained areas of concern.
Source: Fiona Mackay and Elizabeth Meehan with Tahyna Donaghy and Paul Chaney, Gender and Constitutional Change, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
A House of Commons briefing paper outlined the structure and powers of the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It also looked at the statutory and non-statutory framework for devolution, and at the powers of the United Kingdom Parliament in relation to the devolved institutions. It contained a brief chronology of events and compared the legislative process in each of the bodies.
Source: Matthew Leeke, Chris Sear and Oonagh Gay, An Introduction to Devolution in the UK, Research Paper 03/84, House of Commons Library (web publication only)
Links: HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
Researchers examined whether increased policy devolution would lead to variation across the regions in the practice of regional planning, especially in the context of sustainable development.
Source: G. Haughton, Changes in Regional Planning: A new opportunity for sustainable development?, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
Elections were held to the Northern Ireland Assembly, resulting in gains for the Democratic Unionist Party and for Sinn F in. The British and Irish governments said they would seek to find agreement with the parties on a 'stable and fully inclusive' basis for restoring the Assembly and a functioning Executive.
Source: Press release 28 November 2003, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: NIO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
Attempts to secure cross-party agreement in Northern Ireland on a resumption of devolved government failed at the last minute, when the Ulster Unionist Party rejected as inadequate a report on disarmament by the Irish Republican Army. But plans to hold Assembly elections on 26 November 2003 were left unchanged.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 22 October 2003, columns 643-659, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
A report summarised developments in policy relating to children and young people, and its implementation in each of the nations of the United Kingdom. It said there was a risk, when encouraging one national administration to learn from another, that politicians learned the wrong lessons.
Source: United for Children? How devolution is impacting on children's policy across the UK, NCH (020 7704 7000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (Welsh) (pdf) | NCH press release
Date: 2003-Sep
The Scottish Executive responded to a report on the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament. It said that devolution had delivered genuine achievements in Scotland, and that having an accessible and transparent Parliament had been vital to this process. It said that the first Parliament had passed 62 Bills, compared to (on average) 4 or 5 purely Scottish Bills per year dealt with by the Westminster Parliament prior to devolution.
Source: Founding Principles of the Scottish Parliament: Scottish Executive response to the report of the Procedures Committee of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Response (pdf) | SE press release | Procedures Committee Report
Date: 2003-Aug
A paper examined whether devolution had created a 'laboratory of opposition' in Wales to the market orthodoxies of the Labour government, particularly in the field of public services reform.
Source: Steve Davies, Inside the Laboratory: The new politics of public services in Wales, Catalyst, available from Central Books (020 8986 4854)
Links: Paper | Catalyst press release
Date: 2003-Aug
A study found majority popular support for English regional assemblies across all eight regions.
Source: Charlie Jeffery, The English Regions Debate: What do the English want?, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
The government accepted in principle the main recommendations in a report by MPs on the primary legislative process in relation to Wales.
Source: The Government Response to the Fourth Report of the Committee: The Primary Legislative Process as it affects Wales, Third Special Report (Session 2002-03), HC 989, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Date: 2003-Jul
A report by a children's charity analysed the impact of devolution on children's policies. It said that Scotland had 'ducked out' of radically changing children's policy, despite powers to pass primary legislation. The Welsh assembly's 'determination to do things differently' was praised - in particular, its strong lead on children's rights. In Northern Ireland, although progress had been hampered by major political disputes, there was a commitment to children's rights and child protection. The picture painted of England was one of 'incoherence and mixed results'.
Source: United for Children?, NCH (020 7704 7000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (Welsh) (pdf) | Community Care article | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jul
The Prime Minister announced the creation of a new Department for Constitutional Affairs, incorporating the Wales and Scotland Offices, as well as taking over most of the functions of the Lord Chancellor's Department (which would be abolished). After some confusion, it was clarified that the duties of the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland would be combined with other cabinet posts, outside the new Department. Campaigners said the changes underlined the need for a written constitution.
Source: Press release 12.6.03, 10 Downing Street (020 7270 1234) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 18.6.03, columns 357-372, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 18.6.03, Charter88 (020 8880 6088)
Links: Downing Street press release | Hansard | Charter88 press release | Constitution Unit press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
The government announced that three regions - the north east, north west, and Yorkshire and Humberside - would hold referendums on the establishment of regional assemblies. Employers warned that the government was taking a risk by pressing ahead with referendums without safeguards in case of low turnouts.
Source: Press release 16.6.03, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 16.6.03, columns 21-39, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 16.6.03, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247)
Links: ODPM press release | Hansard | Charter88 press release | LGA press release | CBI press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A Bill to allow referendums to be held on whether regions wanted to have elected regional assemblies received Royal assent.
Source: Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | ODPM press release
Date: 2003-May
A survey found that around three quarters of local councils believed that regional assemblies would take powers away from them, rather than from central government.
Source: Regional Governance Survey of local councils, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf) | LGA press release
Date: 2003-May
Business leaders argued that the government's plans to set up English regional assemblies amounted to a costly expansion of bureaucracy that would deliver no tangible benefits.
Source: Regional Assemblies: Good for Business?, Institute of Directors (020 7766 8866)
Links: Report (pdf) | IOD press release
Date: 2003-Apr
A paper reviewed the development of the Scottish Parliament between 1999 and 2003. It said that, despite having limited powers, the parliament had created distinctive policies in a number of areas - including abolishing upfront tuition fees for students, and introducing free personal care for the elderly.
Source: David McCrone, Peeblin' Wi' Stanes: Assessing the Scottish Parliament, 1999-2003, Institute of Governance/University of Edinburgh (web publication)
Links: Paper
Date: 2003-Apr
Employers called on the government to adopt thresholds for voter turnout to ensure elected regional assemblies are only set up where there is a genuine demand. They said they remained deeply sceptical that elected assemblies would improve economic performance.
Source: Press release 12.3.03, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
A new book said the current devolution settlement is giving Wales the worst of both worlds (and Scotland the best) in terms of legislative powers and access to Westminster law-making.
Source: John Osmond and J. Barry Jones (eds.), Birth of Welsh Democracy: First term of the National Assembly for Wales, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511)
Links: Introduction (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
A committee of MPs said that, wherever possible, the United Kingdom government should confer powers directly on the National Assembly for Wales by new primary legislation rather than by amending existing Acts or orders; that Bills affecting Wales should normally have a separate part setting out the law as it affects Wales; and that there should be a clear and comprehensive register of Welsh legislation.
Source: The Primary Legislative Process as it Affects Wales, Fourth Report (Session 2002-03), HC 79, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2003-Mar
The government responded to a House of Lords committee report on the creation of devolved administrations. It said that devolution had been a 'great success', and had brought decision making closer to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Source: The Government s Response to the Second Report of the Select Committee on the Constitution, Session 2002-03 (HL Paper 28): Devolution - Inter-Institutional Relations in the United Kingdom, Cm 5780, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | HOL report
Date: 2003-Mar
A monitoring report on the National Assembly for Wales highlighted the issue of university top-up fees as the biggest potential source of conflict so far between the Welsh and United Kingdom legislatures, threatening the National Assembly s budget and highlighting tensions over its limited powers.
Source: Dragon Debates its Future, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
A Bill to allow referendums to be held on whether regions want to have elected regional assemblies had its third reading.
Source: Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill (Programme) (No. 3), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 23.1.03, columns 466-537, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard
Date: 2003-Jan
A yearbook described developments in the third year of devolution in the United Kingdom, and looked ahead to the devolved assembly elections in May 2003. It also examined the growing divergence in public policy resulting from devolution.
Source: Robert Hazell (ed.), The State of the Nations 2003: The third year of devolution in the United Kingdom, Constitution Unit/University of London, available from Imprint Academic (01392 841600)
Links: Press release | Introduction and contents
See also: Journal of Social Policy Volume 31/3, Digest 123, paragraph 10.4
Date: 2003-Jan
Proposals were made to bring about greater influence in European Union policy making for Europe s nations and regions. They included ensuring direct consultation with regional administrations before legislation is made; reinforcing the principle of subsidiarity through a treaty reference to the role of the regions; and strengthening the committee of the regions to give it a much stronger say in Brussels.
Source: Europe and the Regions, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (020 7008 1500), Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Paper | FCO press release | Scottish Executive press release
Date: 2003-Jan