Valuing Wales
Topic 1C
How does a relatively resource-poor ‘underdog’ build a strong local government?
Wales is home to some of the most deprived areas of the UK, with nearly 1 in 3 children living in poverty. Yet devolution has helped the nation save a dying language, restore ruined ecosystems, and improve those statistics.
An Underdog
When the average person lists the four nations that make up the United Kingdom, Wales is almost always the last one they’ll name...if they remember it at all. It’s sidelined in many discussions - and that underdog status isn’t new. Watch a cheeky overview of Welsh history to learn more about this small but remarkable part of Great Britain.
The Welsh Assembly
Wales gained devolved status at essentially the same time as Scotland, through a series of negotiations, a 1997 referendum (public vote), and a subsequent Act of Parliament in 1998. In some ways, the Welsh Assembly (also known as the Senedd) is very similar to the Scottish Parliament. But it’s worth hearing how they tell their own story, and which aspects of devolved governance the Welsh Assembly emphasises.
Environmental Policy in Wales
From the start, the Welsh Assembly has considered environmental sustainability a key priority. It was the first nation in the UK to levy a charge for plastic bags in grocery stores; the success of that policy saw it copied in Scotland and then England. Browse the links below to learn a bit about environmental legislation and government-led action in Wales.