Powers and Policy Levers: Constitutional Change and Devolution in Wales

The Welsh Government's key policy priorities include promoting economic growth, improving public services and tackling poverty. The Welsh Assembly has been granted a range of powers and policy levers that are relevant to achieving these objectives. But it does not currently have the same powers and responsibilities as the Scottish Government or many comparable regions/small countries in Europe and beyond. It also faces particular challenges associated with the delivery of public services (including health, education and transport) and the management of natural resources across its long and relatively densely populated border with England. The research will analyse the powers and policy levers that are used by governments in comparable countries/regions and study how these have been used to best effect. It will assess the implications of this evidence from other regions/countries for policy makers in Wales and consider what, if any, additional powers would be likely to assist Welsh Ministers to achieve their policy objectives. It will also study how governments elsewhere manage the cross-border delivery of key public services, with a particular focus on experience from countries/regions which have a strong degree of economic, social and political integration with larger neighbours. The study will combine reviews of the relevant academic and policy literature; the generation of new evidence through interviews with key policy makers; workshops with international academic experts to draw on experience and expertise from other regions/countries; and a programme of knowledge exchange with Ministers, special advisers and officials.