New laws for Wales, explained: what each Bill would do, who it would affect, what Members have said about it, and what happens next.
How a Bill becomes law in Wales
A Bill is a proposed new law. Most come from the Welsh Government, but any Member can propose one. It goes through four stages in the Senedd, then becomes law when the King signs it.
1. Stage 1A committee looks at the Bill's general principles, then the Senedd votes on them.
2. Stage 2A committee considers amendments.
3. Stage 3The whole Senedd considers amendments.
4. Stage 4The Senedd votes to pass the Bill.
5. Royal AssentThe Bill becomes an Act of Senedd Cymru.
Some UK Parliament laws also change things the Senedd is responsible for, like health or education in Wales. The Senedd then votes on whether it agrees. This is called legislative consent.
Bills before the Senedd
Taxation (Wales) Bill
Stage 1 (current stage)
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Royal Assent
What it would do
The Minister for Finance, Elin Jones, says the Bill is a package of narrowly targeted technical and administrative changes to Wales's tax laws, to help the Welsh Revenue Authority run land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax more effectively. Members describe it as letting the Authority share information with local authorities, carry out some landfill inspections without prior approval, and withhold some tax repayments during an inquiry. The Minister says it does not create new taxes. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Who it would affect
It would mainly affect the Welsh Revenue Authority, taxpayers and their advisers, local authorities, and businesses that could face landfill inspections or withheld repayments. The Minister says representatives of taxpayers who deal with the Authority will be most interested. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
What has been said
Cai Parry-Jones (Reform UK) said the consultation drew only nine responses, and he was concerned that landfill inspections could happen without owner agreement or tribunal approval. Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru) said the powers are proportionate and already operate in England and Scotland. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) welcomed the aim of fair and efficient tax collection. He asked what assurance there is that information will be shared with local authorities only when essential, and asked for practical examples. Contributions: [1][2]
John Clark (Reform UK) raised the power to withhold repayments during an inquiry, noting inquiries can take months or years. He asked for published service standards and reporting on delays. Elin Jones called it a sensible point and said she would take it away. Contributions: [1][2]
Iain McIntosh (Reform UK) said the impact assessment shows £422,000 of costs against £2.6 million of benefits, much of it staff time freed up. He asked how much would be real savings. Elin Jones said costs and benefits are small and the aim is not to raise money. Contributions: [1][2]
Sam Rowlands (Welsh Conservatives) asked whether the Bill is the next stage of tax devolution or only narrow technical changes. Elin Jones said she had overstated it, and that the Bill is about running current tax powers well, not further devolution. Contributions: [1][2]
Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru) welcomed the Bill and asked about alignment with HMRC and a vacant land tax. Elin Jones said alignment work is progressing and the Bill is not designed to prepare for new taxes. Contributions: [1][2]
What happens next
A committee of Members is gathering evidence on the Bill and will report. Then all Members vote on whether they agree with what it sets out to do. If they don't, the Bill goes no further.
Written by AI on 26 October 2026 from 14 contributions in the Senedd on 20 October 2026. Each point links to what was said; check it before quoting.
UK Bills that need the Senedd's consent
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network Information Systems) Bill
The Senedd gave consent on 20 October 2026. No Member objected, so there was no vote.
What it would do
The Welsh Government says the Bill would make critical national infrastructure more resilient by amending the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018. It says the Bill would widen incident reporting requirements, strengthen regulators' powers to gather information and enforce the rules, and bring critical suppliers within scope. Contributions: [1]
Who it would affect
The Welsh Government says the measures aim to protect essential services such as transport, energy, drinking water, health and digital infrastructure. Some provisions may affect water companies operating wholly or mainly in Wales. Contributions: [1]
Why the Senedd is being asked
The Cabinet Minister says much of the Bill is reserved to Westminster, but it also touches devolved matters. The Welsh Ministers are the competent authority (the regulator) for health services and for drinking water supply in Wales, with the Drinking Water Inspectorate acting for them. Some provisions give, remove or change functions in these devolved areas, so the Senedd's consent is sought. Contributions: [1]
What has been said
Adam Price, Cabinet Minister (Plaid Cymru), moved the motion. He said the Bill would help protect essential services from a growing and more complex cyber threat. Contributions: [1]
Jason O'Connell (Reform UK) supported the motion. He said national security cannot be got wrong and that a single cyber attack can cripple essential services. Contributions: [1]
Cristiana Emsley (Reform UK), speaking on the committee's report, said the committee agrees with the Welsh Government on which provisions need consent. It asked whether consent should also be sought for clause 37(7). Contributions: [1]
Ms Emsley said clause 37(7) could affect a code issued under clause 36. The Minister considered that this power does not meet the consent test, as it is not clear it would be used to change consultation with regulators. Contributions: [1]
Mr Price said the late timing of the consent motion meant the Government could not set out its position earlier. He promised a fuller written response to the committee and Members on the issues raised. Contributions: [1]
Written by AI on 26 October 2026 from 5 contributions in the Senedd on 20 October 2026. Each point links to what was said; check it before quoting.
Armed Forces Bill
The Senedd gave consent on 13 October 2026. No Member objected, so there was no vote.
What it would do
The UK Government's Bill would renew the Armed Forces Act 2006, which keeps the legal system for the armed forces in force. It would also change how the service justice system works and put the Armed Forces Covenant more fully into law. The Covenant is a promise that service people should not be disadvantaged by their service. The Bill would replace the current covenant duty with a new duty on national authorities, including the devolved governments, health bodies, education bodies and local authorities. [Explanatory Notes to the Armed Forces Bill]
Who it would affect
The Bill covers the whole of the UK, with some parts applying to England and Wales only. In Wales, the Welsh Ministers, health boards, education bodies and local authorities would have to give due regard to the Covenant. The Deputy First Minister also said the Bill touches on defence housing, support for victims, and the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations. [Explanatory Notes to the Armed Forces Bill]Contributions: [1]
Why the Senedd is being asked
Consent is sought because some provisions touch on devolved matters. Sioned Williams, Deputy First Minister (Plaid Cymru), said the covenant clause started the consent process, and that clauses on defence housing, victim support, managing offenders, and the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations may also affect devolved areas. Contributions: [1]
What has been said
Sioned Williams, Deputy First Minister (Plaid Cymru), recommended consent. She said support for the armed forces community should unite the Chamber and that the Bill has positive effects. Contributions: [1][2]
Gareth Thomas (Reform UK) said his party backs the Bill and the consent motion. He argued a duty only matters if it can be relied on, and said the Welsh Government has not yet implemented the covenant well in healthcare. Contributions: [1]
James Evans (Reform UK) welcomed the Bill but asked about costs. He said the memorandum states costs in Wales must come from existing budgets, and asked how stretched councils and health boards would get the resources and guidance they need. Contributions: [1]
Gwyn Williams (Plaid Cymru) welcomed the defence housing plans for new homes on a third of the Ministry of Defence estate, and said veteran homelessness is a serious issue. He also backed reforms to how offences against victims are investigated. Contributions: [1]
Zaynub Akbar (Plaid Cymru), Chair of the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee, said the Bill builds on the covenant principle that service people should not face disadvantage. She noted it would be the first time both UK and devolved governments are bound by these duties. Contributions: [1]
Cristiana Emsley (Reform UK), Chair of the committee, criticised the Welsh Government for not including a recommendation on consent in the memorandum. She did not accept that analysing the UK legislative programme was a good reason for leaving it out. Contributions: [1]
Written by AI on 26 October 2026 from the official documents listed and 9 contributions in the Senedd. Each point links to its source; check it before quoting.
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
The Senedd gave consent on 14 July 2026, by 86 votes to 7.
What it would do
Adam Price, the Welsh Government's Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, says the Bill would let the transfer of the shares or property of a steel company into public ownership happen where a public interest test is met. Janet Finch-Saunders (Welsh Conservatives) says it gives the UK Secretary of State power to make regulations to do this, and would not nationalise any company straight away. Contributions: [1][2]
Who it would affect
Mr Price says the Bill could be applied to steel operations anywhere in the UK. Ms Finch-Saunders says this could include steel companies in Wales. Contributions: [1][2]
Why the Senedd is being asked
The motion asks the Senedd to agree that the parts of the Bill which relate to devolved matters, meaning areas the Senedd is responsible for, should be considered by the UK Parliament. Mr Price described it as a four-nation Bill. The material provided does not say which devolved matters are involved. Contributions: [1][2]
What has been said
Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) backed consent. He called steel a strategic national asset and the Bill a safety net for an industry too important to lose, citing high energy costs and global overcapacity. Contributions: [1]
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd (Reform UK), speaking on the Legislation Committee's work, said the memorandum was laid six weeks after the Bill's introduction. Standing Orders normally expect two weeks. She said the pressure on scrutiny time was foreseeable. Contributions: [1]
Jason O'Connell and Benjamin Hodge Mckenna (both Reform UK) said they would support the motion. Both said the Bill comes too late for Port Talbot, where the blast furnaces have closed and jobs have been lost. Contributions: [1][2]
Janet Finch-Saunders (Welsh Conservatives) said the Bill gives significant powers that should be approached with caution. She noted that the previous UK Conservative Government agreed a joint investment package with Tata Steel. Contributions: [1]
Mr Price said there was no prior engagement with the Welsh Government, which limited scrutiny. Elyn Stephens (Plaid Cymru) also called it disappointing how little time there was for dialogue with the UK Government. Contributions: [1][2]
Shav Taj (Welsh Labour) supported the UK Labour Government's approach. She pointed to £500 million of its investment in the steel transition at Port Talbot, which she said protected 5,000 jobs. Contributions: [1]
Written by AI on 26 October 2026 from 9 contributions in the Senedd on 14 July 2026. Each point links to what was said; check it before quoting.
Health Bill
Committees are taking evidence. The Senedd hasn't voted yet.
What it would do
The Explanatory Notes say the Bill would abolish NHS England, the body that runs the health service in England, and move its functions to the Secretary of State or to integrated care boards (local NHS bodies in England that plan and buy care). It would also allow a Single Patient Record, change how patient safety investigations and Healthwatch work, and give NHS England's property, rights and debts to other public bodies. [Explanatory Notes to the Health Bill]
Who it would affect
The Explanatory Notes say the Bill mostly applies to England, because health is generally devolved. In Wales, the Welsh Government says it would matter most for patients who get specialist care in England and for the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee, which arranges that care for health boards. [Explanatory Notes to the Health Bill]Contributions: [1][2]
Why the Senedd is being asked
The Explanatory Notes say the Bill extends to England and Wales, and that the Senedd's consent is sought for any parts within its powers. The Welsh Government's Minister says some parts touch devolved matters: transfers of NHS England property, the Single Patient Record and data sharing, and the power to set up health and social care information systems (Schedule 7). [Explanatory Notes to the Health Bill]Contributions: [1][2][3]
What has been said
Mabon ap Gwynfor, Health Minister (Plaid Cymru), said this is an English restructuring Bill and cross-border legal frameworks for complaints and commissioning stay the same. He said the UK Government has agreed to amend the Bill after Welsh concerns. Contributions: [1][2]
Welsh Government official Mari Williams said the UK Government plans amendments. Welsh Ministers would have to consent before NHS England property is transferred to a Welsh body, and sharing data into the Single Patient Record would be voluntary. She said these have not yet been seen. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Juliet Brown, chief commissioner of the Joint Commissioning Committee, welcomed a legal duty on English boards to consider Welsh patients. She warned that detail is missing, England is cutting staff by 50 per cent, and the committee will have many more contacts to build. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Ben Eaton and Angela Mutlow of Llais, the Welsh patient watchdog, welcomed the Single Patient Record. They said the duty to consider Welsh residents covers only border communities and should cover everyone in Wales who uses services in England. Contributions: [1][2]
Geoff Ryall-Harvey of Llais was concerned that Healthwatch would be abolished and its work moved to commissioning bodies. He said Llais should be involved, Welsh patients should be consulted, and independence and Healthwatch's experience matter. Contributions: [1]
Dr Clara Day of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said the reforms should make little difference and the Bill feels enabling. She raised concern about lost commissioning staff, and local commissioners possibly overlooking Welsh patients. Contributions: [1][2][3]
What happens next
All Members will vote on whether to give consent. If the Senedd refuses, the UK Parliament doesn't normally go ahead with those parts, though it can.
Have your say
You can tell your Members of the Senedd what you think. Find your Members.
Written by AI on 26 October 2026 from the official documents listed and 120 contributions in the Senedd. Each point links to its source; check it before quoting.
Laws passed in the last Senedd are listed on the Senedd's archive.
Senedd Bills and their stages come from the Progress of Senedd Bills table on senedd.wales. UK Bills are listed when a legislative consent item appears on this term's agenda. Sessions and debates are agenda items that name the Bill.