Pierhead building hosts first meeting of historic Convention

The formation of the Convention is an Assembly Government One Wales commitment and the body will look at what the Welsh public thinks about the National Assembly getting further law-making powers.

Part of that function will involve explaining to people in Wales the current powers available to Assembly members.

At today’s meeting, the 16 members of the Convention Executive Committee will take their initial address from the Committee’s chairman, former British Ambassador to the United Nations Sir Emyr Jones Parry. The objectives of the Convention will be outlined and members will be able to consider what specific role they can play.

Sir Emyr Jones Parry said:

The Convention will be fundamental to stimulating meaningful public debate on the crucial issue of Wales’ law-making powers.

We have succeeded in forming an impressive committee of members, made up of talented individuals who are well placed to reach out to people across Wales. They will ask the big questions about the legislative process in Wales, and spell out to the Assembly Government what the people of Wales have to say about law-making in Wales, now and in the future.

The names of the All Wales Convention members were announced last week, and they have been drawn from a cross-section of Welsh life.

Each member is tasked with speaking to people across Wales to gauge levels of support for devolving law-making powers from Westminster to the National Assembly.

Following today’s meeting, the Convention committee members will meet on a regular basis at different locations across Wales to drive the Convention’s agenda. The committee is due to deliver their final report to the First Minister and First Deputy Minister by the end of 2009.