Wales Bill completes Parliamentary stages
Stephen Crabb: "a significant step forward on the path towards a lasting devolution settlement"
The Wales Bill today (11 November) cleared its final parliamentary stages in the House of Commons and is expected to get Royal Assent before the end of the year.
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said that this marked a significant step forward on the path to giving Wales a strong and lasting devolution settlement.
The Bill will devolve a range of tax and borrowing powers to Wales including landfill tax, stamp duty, land tax and - subject to a referendum - some income tax.
The House of Commons considered and approved the Lords amendments, relating to removing the so-called lockstep mechanism from the Bill’s income tax powers and giving the power to the Welsh Assembly to decide whether 16 and 17 year-olds should have the right to vote in the income tax referendum.
Stephen Crabb said:
Today we have taken a significant step forward on the path towards a lasting devolution settlement for Wales - making the Assembly more accountable and providing Welsh Government with the tools necessary to grow the Welsh economy.
This Government has a strong track record on devolution and by St David’s Day 2015 I will set out how we will move forward.
The constitution is important to Wales but I am determined to end the tiring debate about powers and let the Assembly and Welsh Government get on with growing the economy and improving public services.
Mr Crabb set out his vision for devolution in Wales last month in a speech to the Institute of Welsh Affairs.