A Welsh Jurisdiction

A Plaid Cymru Welsh Government will immediately put in place measures to create a distinctive Welsh jurisdiction, as is the case in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

We would press for the current reservation to Westminster of powers relating to the single England and Wales jurisdiction to be removed and for adequate funding to follow the devolution of justice powers. Due to spending cuts by the UK Government, the Welsh Government is contributing almost 40 per cent of the justice spend in Wales, despite justice not being a devolved field, which is unsustainable.

The Counsel General will set out a pathway for the creation of a Welsh jurisdiction, following the recommendations of the Commission on Justice in Wales. In doing so, the Counsel General will assume responsibility for bringing together the diverse and uncoordinated justice functions currently held by the Welsh Government.

We need our own jurisdiction to address the split in responsibilities between the Westminster Government for justice in Wales, and the Welsh Government for social, health, education, and economic development policies. The absence of a distinct jurisdiction results in serious disadvantages for Wales which England, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not experience. These include:

• An inability to allocate spending in a coordinated manner.
• Complexity that leads to a waste of resources.
• Lack of coherent and accountable policies.