- This article is about the National Assembly for Wales Commission, for the Northern Irish equivalent see Northern Ireland Assembly Commission.
The National Assembly for Wales Commission (usually referred to in Wales as the Assembly Commission) is the corporate body for the National Assembly for Wales. The Commission is responsible for ensuring the property, staff and services are provided for the Assembly. The Assembly Commission consists of the Presiding Officer and four Members from different Political parties, who each have different portfolios of work. The Commission is supported by staff in the Corporate Unit.
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Role of the Commission
The Government of Wales Act 2006 provides the National Assembly for Wales with significant new powers to legislate, and strengthens its scrutiny role. It also creates a legally separate Welsh Assembly Government and new Corporate Body which is called the National Assembly for Wales Commission (Assembly Commission) which has responsibility for the provision of property, staff and services to support the Assembly Members. The Commission consists of the Presiding Officer and four other Members nominated by the main political parties. The staff of the Commission are employees of the Commission and are headed by the Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly.
Membership
The Government of Wales Act 2006 maintains that membership of the Assembly Commission will include the Presiding Officer and four other Assembly Members. Standing Order 3.3 sets out the arrangement for the appointment of the four other Assembly Members, and states that there will not be more than one member (other than the Presiding Officer) from the same political group.
List of Assembly Commissioners
Third Assembly
| Name | Picture | Entered office | Left office | Political party | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dafydd Elis Thomas AM |  |
July 9, 2007 | Plaid Cymru | Chair (as Presiding Officer of the Third Assembly) | ||
| William Graham AM |  |
June 9, 2007 | Conservative Party | Third Assembly | ||
| Lorraine Barrett AM |  |
June 9, 2007 | Labour | Third Assembly | ||
| Peter Black AM |  |
June 9, 2007 | Liberal Democrats | Third Assembly | ||
| Elin Jones AM |  |
June 9, 2007 | September 18, 2007 | Plaid Cymru | Third Assembly (became a Government Minister) | |
| Chris Franks AM | |
September 18, 2007 | Plaid Cymru | Third Assembly | ||
Policies
A number of documents were approved by the Shadow Commission with the intention that they should be implemented as soon as is possible after the establishment of the Assembly Commission following the May 2007 elections.
The policies, which are currently under development, are:
- Statement of Practices and Procedures for the Assembly Commission
- Equality of Opportunity
- Sustainable Development Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Welsh Language Scheme
- Corporate Governance Framework
- Financial Standards
- Staff Code of Conduct
- Public Interest Disclosure Policy
- Records Management policy
- Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
- Procurement Policy
- Risk Management Strategy
- IT Security Policy
- Business Continuity Plan
Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly
Claire took up post as Chief Executive and Clerk of the National Assembly in February 2007. The post was created to reflect the growing powers of the Assembly following the Government of Wales Act 2006. From May 2007, the Chief Executive and Clerk will lead an organisation independent of the Welsh Assembly Government. She is responsible for ensuring that the Assembly is provided with the property, staff and services that it requires and to help develop an Assembly that inspires confidence and has a reputation within Wales and beyond for accessible and efficient democracy.
Directorates
The Assembly Commission is made up of three directorates which are supported by a Corporate Unit, all of which are accountable to the Chief Executive. The Executive Board supports the Chief Executive in the management, development and organisation of staff and consists of the Chief Executive and the directors of Assembly Business, Legal Service and Chief Operating Officer.
Assembly Business
The Assembly Business directorate provides specialist parliamentary support to Members to ensure the efficient and effective conduct of business. In particular, it provides the following services:
Chamber Secretariat: The Chamber Secretariat ensures the smooth management of plenary meetings and provides procedural advice to the Presiding Officer and other Members.
Table Office: The Table Office receives and advises Members on Assembly Questions, motions for debate, Statements of Opinion and laid documents.
Committee Service: The Committee Service provides secretariat support to the Assembly’s committees and procedural advice to committee chairs and Members.
Members’ Research Service: The Members’ Research Service provides confidential and impartial information and research support to Assembly Members and committees.
Record of Proceedings: The Record of Proceedings team produces and publishes bi-lingual transcripts of plenary and committee meetings.
Translation and Interpretation: The Translation and Interpretation team ensures the smooth bi-lingual operation of all formal Assembly business.
Legal Service
The Legal Service Directorate provides the following service:
- Advice on Orders and Measures;
- Advice on legislative competence;
- Scrutiny of Subordinate Legislation and
- Corporate Advice.
Advice on Orders and Measures: The team is responsible for advising the National Assembly for Wales, its Committees and the Presiding Officer on the scope and content of draft Orders in Council and Assembly Measures.
Advice on legislative competence: The team interprets the Government of Wales Act 2006 and ensures that all activities undertaken are within its competence. This includes providing advice to the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer in plenary sessions of the Assembly, and in decisions about the admissibility of motions and questions from Assembly Members.
Scrutiny of Subordinate Legislation: The team provides legal advice to the Committee on the Scrutiny of Subordinate Legislation.
Corporate Advice: The team provides legal advice to the Assembly Commission, the Chief Executive and Clerk, and the Chief Operating Officer on a range of issues that arise from the Assembly Commission’s responsibilities over property, staff and services.
Chief Operating Officer
The directorate of the Chief Operating Officer has responsibility for:
- Human resources;
- Finance;
- Information and Communications Technology;
- Estates and Facilities Management;
- Security;
- Corporate Planning;
- Change and Programme Management and
- External Communications.
Human Resources: The responsibilities of the Human Resources (HR) team include providing a range of HR services, such as the delivery of training and development, internal and external recruitment, performance management, Health and Safety and occupational health.
Finance: The Finance team provides a wide range of financial services to the Assembly Commission, and includes the preparation of regular financial management reports, internal audit, financial planning, and advising on standards for financial management .
Information and Communications Technology: The ICT team has responsibility for managing the ICT and broadcasting services provided to the Assembly Commission. The team ensures that ICT services are provided to Members, their support staff and officials, and that broadcasting facilities are available within the Assembly Commission.
Estates and Facilities Management: The team is responsible for managing the Assembly Commission’s estate, and managing a range of contracts with external service providers. The team provides a wide range of essential services and facilities for both the Assembly building and the Pierhead Building to enable and assist Assembly Members and officials to carry out their duties effectively. These include emergency procedures, accommodation and health and safety.
Security: Security has responsibility for dealing with all aspects of building and physical security in the Assembly Commission Cardiff Bay buildings.
Corporate Planning: The responsibility of the Corporate Planning team is to set out and monitor the priorities and objectives of the Assembly Commission, to include preparing the Assembly Commission Staff Corporate Plan and Annual Plans, Risk Management and Business Continuity.
Change and Programme Management: The function of the Change and Programme Management team is to provide a framework to help manage, deliver and implement changes within the organisation. The team ensures that good Programme and Project Management techniques and documentation are used to manage discreet time-limited pieces of work.
External Communications: The External Communications team has responsibility for raising public awareness of the powers and work of the National Assembly for Wales. Functions include the delivery of a communications strategy, liaison with the Press and broadcast media on behalf of the Presiding Officer, the Assembly Commission and Committee Chairs, as well as on behalf of the Chief Executive and Clerk.
Corporate Unit
The Corporate Unit provides the following services:
- Secretariat to the Assembly Commission;
- Secretariat to Corporate Governance Committee;
- Secretariat to senior management team;
- Support to the Presiding Officer;
- Support to Chief Executive;
- Records Management and Freedom of Information;
- Internal Communications and
- Co-ordination of corporate strategic policies.
Secretariat to the Assembly Commission: The Secretariat arranges the meetings of the Assembly Commission, commissions papers, prepares and publishes the Minutes. Individual Commissioners have Portfolio responsibilities for certain areas of the Assembly Commission Staff’s work, and the Secretariat supports them in this role by arranging meetings and visits as appropriate.
Secretariat to Corporate Governance Committee: The Secretariat arranges meetings, commissions papers, prepares and publishes the Minutes.
Secretariat to senior management team: The Secretariat arranges meetings, commissions papers and prepares the Minutes.
Support to the Presiding Officer: This involves managing the Presiding Officer’s diary, liaising with the constituency office, managing all correspondence, commissioning draft replies from other members of the Assembly Service, commissioning speaking notes, drafting speeches, and liaising with the Welsh Assembly Government’s Cabinet Secretariat as necessary.
Support to Chief Executive: The role involves managing the Chief Executive’s diary and co-ordinating the Chief Executive’s correspondence.
Records Management and Freedom of Information: The team is responsible for the Records Management of the Assembly Service. It is also responsible for considering and responding to any requests under the Freedom of Information Act or similar legislation.
Internal Communications: The team co-ordinates internal communications for the Assembly Commission Staff, and works closely with the External Communications team to ensure that messages are consistent, that house styles are consistent, and that resources such as photographic libraries are shared.
Co-ordination of corporate strategic policies: The team is responsible for co-ordinating the development and updating of a range of corporate policies, including Health and Safety, Freedom of Information, Equal Opportunities and Welsh Language Policy.
External links
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