Strong Support For Welsh Devolution

A new poll shows a growing majority of the Welsh public support increased powers for National Assembly for Wales, indicating the desire for further legislative powers to be devolved from Westminster.

The Beaufort Poll showed a majority of the public believe the National Assembly for Wales (NafW) has provided a strong voice for the country and would like to see further powers devolved over a period of time.

Other key findings revealed in the survey include:

• 62% of respondents would like to see increased powers for the NafW
  
  
• Eight in ten people trust the NafW to act in Wales’s best interests
  
  
• A majority believe the existence of the NafW has given Wales a stronger voice in the United Kingdom;
  
  
• The Welsh public are as likely to believe that the NafW had the most influence over Wales as they were the UK Parliament
  
  
• There is a relatively high awareness of whether current powers lie at UK Parliament or National Assembly level
  
  
• Among those desiring further powers, a majority (around two-thirds) want this within the next 5 years or beyond rather than in the next year or so.

Among those powers that could be transferred to the NAfW, the most popular were renewable energy (70%), policing (63%) and broadcasting and media regulation (58%).

The Welsh public believed the UK Parliament should retain responsibility for defence and foreign affairs (82%) and the courts and criminal justice system (63%).

Chair of the Silk Commission, which carried out the survey, Paul Silk said: "These results are very interesting and provide a real insight into the public's views on the current powers of the National Assembly for Wales. The results are generally consistent with trends identified in other surveys, but whilst they show a continued growth in support for the National Assembly as an institution and for it to have further powers, we need to be mindful that the people of Wales have differing views.

"This poll is an important method to help us assess public opinion on Welsh Devolution and attitudes on where powers should lie. I hope the poll’s findings will stimulate wide debate on these important issues.

(IT/CD)