Plaid Cymru renews calls for Wales to have same powers as Scotland
Plaid Cymru is calling for a new ‘Wales Bill’ that would grant Wales powers equal to those currently afforded to Scotland.
Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS says that he and Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts MP will be urging “a Wales Bill based on the premise of parity of powers with Scotland,” ahead of a meeting with Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.
“Fair share”
The Plaid Cymru representatives will also press the case for scrapping the Barnett Formula and introducing a fair funding model which gives money to Wales according to need, not population.
Rhun ap Iorwerth said that “Wales deserves its fair share,” and said that his party’s call for parity with Scotland was “about securing the powers needed to truly improve the lives of people who live here.”
In the wake of the recent Budget described by Mr ap Iorwerth as “damaging” and which “threatens jobs, public service providers, the family farm, and charities”, he said that the Secretary of State should show that she “has Wales’ best interests at heart”.
Among the powers held by Scotland but currently unavailable to Wales are:
Transport
Scotland has authority over rail infrastructure, whereas Wales does not control its own railways or receive equivalent funding for infrastructure.
Scotland receives a 100% Barnett comparability factor for investment by the UK Government in English railway projects.
The 2024 Statement of Funding for Wales gave a Barnett comparability factor of just 33.5% for Wales. Wales is owed billions of pounds as a result of the HS2 project, and Plaid Cymru continues to fight to right this wrong.
Crown Estate
Management of the crown estate was devolved to Scotland in 2017, which means that Scotland can maximise the potential of its resources, and that revenue is returned to Edinburgh rather than Westminster.
The estate includes the leasing of the seabed up to 12 nautical miles from the coast, 37,000 hectares of rural land, rights to the majority of naturally occurring gold and silver, and around half of Scotland’s foreshore.
All revenue from the Welsh Crown Estate go to the UK Treasury, with a proportion then transferred to Buckingham Palace.
Justice and Policing
Scotland controls its justice system, including policing, courts, and the legal framework.
In Wales, however, these remain under UK government control, and an ‘England and Wales’ legal jurisdiction remains in place despite the Senedd having primary lawmaking powers since 2006.
Energy
While the Wales Act 2017 devolved competence for the consenting of electricity generating stations up to 350MW, in Scotland, all decisions on new energy infrastructure projects are devolved and applications over 50MW are made to the Scottish Government.
Wales is currently limited in its ability to manage its own renewable resources.
Taxation
The Scottish parliament sets Scottish rates and bands of income tax, which determine the rates of income tax payable by Scottish taxpayers on certain types of income.
Wales has some powers over income tax, but the Senedd cannot change the income tax bands. We need that flexibility, to build a fairer tax system over time, with taxation lower for the least well off.
Welfare
Scotland has powers over certain welfare benefits, enabling tailored support for its most vulnerable citizens – a power Wales currently lacks.
Scotland has already made successful anti-poverty interventions with such support, helping hundreds of thousands of families in Scotland each year. Wales has no powers over welfare.
Level playing field
Mr ap Iorwerth said: “Wales deserves its fair share. Our call for parity with Scotland is about securing the powers needed to truly improve the lives of the people who live here. It’s time to level the playing field within the United Kingdom.
“Scotland has shown how these powers can be used to better serve the people. A devolved benefits system has shielded people in Scotland from some of the most brutal Westminster austerity, while the devolved Scottish Crown Estate directly invests in deprived coastal communities. If Scotland can do it, why not Wales?
“In the wake of a damaging Budget, which threatens jobs, public service providers, the family farm, and charities, and sees the proportion of transport funding decline yet again, we need evidence that the Secretary of State truly has Wales’ best interests at heart. We will urge her to introduce a Wales Bill based on the premise of parity of powers with Scotland.
“We will also be pressing the case for scrapping the Barnett Formula and replacing it with a fair funding model which funds Wales according to need, not population.
For the sake of the people of Wales, I hope she can agree with me on the need for this action.”
Change
Liz Saville Roberts added: “Labour came into office on the back of a message of change. They promised the biggest-ever transfer of powers out of Westminster. We are yet to see any evidence that Labour is interested in strengthening devolution.
“In the last Parliament, I introduced the Crown Estate (Wales) Bill, which would see Wales brought in line with Scotland on the management of the Crown Estate. Despite Labour in Wales saying publicly that they agree with us, we see no impetus. I will be making the case once again that these powers could be transformational for our left-behind communities.
“If Labour fails to grasp this opportunity to deliver material improvements to people’s lives, it will be further proof that it makes little difference whether the Westminster government is red or blue. Only with greater powers can we create a fairer future for our communities.”
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“If Labour fails to grasp this opportunity to deliver material improvements to people’s lives” – Rhun ap Iorwerth. Labour shows no compulsion to do anything for Wales so it might be wise to make such proposals known and conditional to other parties in the Senedd in the very likely event of Plaid Cymru having the balance of power after our national elections. Labour has now been exposed as just as hostile to Wales as the Conservatives. The ‘both ends of the M4’ gambit is not working and we see Eluned just being Starmers poodle.
No what we want is out of this dam awful DISUNITED KINGDOM we have never been treated fairly by the Tories or Labour we do not want more powers as they would not give us and if they did they would have got rid of usyou always from the English that they support us i have said it a thousand times they do not
That lost weekend in London…a seed then planted now blooms in the Senedd…
Beaverbrook used to use a Country Retreat hereabouts for his wartime tete-a-tete…
Should we get these powers ceded to Wales, the Senedd would have to be significantly enlarged. If Westminster refuses, Labour risks handing large parts of the electorate to Reform in those areas that are currently most deprived.
That is why we need a Plaid Cymru government.
Labour, Conservatives and Reform ARE not for Wales.
When is Plaid going to get the message that there can be no significant change to the benefit of Wales under the present Union constitutional arrangement. Copying Scotland is not the answer. The devolution of policing and criminal justice will superficially sound good, but if it is devolved, the Welsh public will, quite rightly, expect improvements in this area. If this devolution is not accompanied by funding for these improvements, it will put additional strain on an already fragile Welsh economy. Scotland, as stated, has these powers, but they experience a steady year on year increase in crime. The devolution… Read more »
Good bit of insight there, well thought though. Bleating ” I want what they got” sounds like a bit of scripting rather than a well researched analysis of needs and how we might achieve solutions. Historically this defect has tended to crop up in much of Plaid’s presentation, superficially attractive with little of substance in the main body.
Some very good points. Although, Scotland has some very specific drug crime issues that may inflate their overall crime statistics. Where we are weak is, as you say, our low average income not yielding much in terms of tax take. There needs to be a much more equitable distribution of wealth to the regions to kick-start significant change prior to Wales becoming more constitutionally self-sufficient.
I think you will find that the increase is general, although you are correct that drug crime is a particular problem. My point however is that a rise in crime, however it occurs, means the increase of resources to tackle it and if that doesn’t come from Westminster, then the nations economy suffers. As for a fairer distribution of wealth,there is no wealth. The UK has a perpetual budget deficit. It has only had five surpluses since 1975, the last being 25 years ago, hence the size of the UK debt.. The UK government are continually firefighting. There is no… Read more »
….. So the UK is not an insurance policy for Wales ?
We need INDEPENDENCE NOW !
Llew. This was yet another very worthwhile contribution. When I saw the article I thought – here we go again; have Ap Iorwerth and his party been overdosing on Oliver Twist “Please sir, I want some more”. What should be happening – but I’m not holding my breath – is that his party should spend the next eighteen months presenting a thoughtful, viable policy to improve life for the people of Wales. A credible plan within the existing powers of the Senedd, which are in truth considerable in many policy areas, alongside a similar plan for independence. Unfortunately, Ap Iorweth… Read more »
Much as I admire your insight, you really are stretching it, suggesting Plaid produce TWO plans. I do agree that there is scope for improvement within the present powers, however I would be wary of giving Plaid further opportunity for fudge. The only hope for Plaid and for me, is front and centre Independence. A plan for that would give a different perspective that would set them apart. I don’t expect any meaningful change though, so keep plugging away and hope the message eventually gets through.
At devolution’s onset in 1999, the Labour UK government decided that Scotland’s devolution settlement would be considerably more extensive than that of Wales. From the beginning this meant favouring Scotland and discriminating against Wales. This was undoubtedly both unjust to Wales and indefensible. Nor did 3 forms of devolution make any sense as it resulted in Whitehall civil servants repeatedly showing that they can’t cope with such complexity. They would likely be far more “with-it” if there was a standardized form of devolution across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The platform for inequality was laid well before the start of devolution. Scotland had a comprehensive justice system in place on becoming part of the Union. Retaining that judicial independence was a condition of joining. Wales did not. Since then, their aims of more independence, has driven them to gaining more powers than Wales. Although the shortcomings of Westminster is well documented, much of the reason for our inferior settlement can be laid with the Welsh government and their lack of ambition. The devolution of rail was offered to Wales, the same as the other nation, Wales turned it down… Read more »
Scotland got more powers after a hard fought Independence campaign. They were a concession to keep Scotland within the Union. They’re not going to give those bargaining chips away for free because they are an effective distraction that redirects the Independence movement through the manufactured hoops of the British state.
I’d expect a leadership race by next summer if this is all Rhun and Liz have.
I’ve just seen that this appeal (!) has appeared i London’s Evening Standard.
Excellent if the plan is to impress the people of England.
One has to communicate with the superior minds of Islington to maintain credibility. Or so they say. Now we have the party of the people in charge maybe Islington won’t be so impressed. After all Plaid are only agreeable when they irritate the Tories.
Wrong move by Plaid. The bill should include setting up a separate English parliament at the same time. Westminster would be a federal parliament then.
Getting the English on board would make the bill harder to oppose. It would solve the west lothian question and support for english independence is never really measured but is reported to be quite high. Getting a friendly english independence party started should be a strategic goal for plaid/ SNP.
If the mess the current lot have made, less not more powers are needed until they are used correctly.
If you don’t like the politicians in the Senedd then vote them out. Should the Americans have less control over their own affairs because they are going to have an idiot in power come January?