New powers 'could create 18 laws'

May 2007 will be the dawn of a new era for the national assembly

Up to 18 new pieces of legislation could be introduced in the first year of greater powers for the assembly, according to its presiding officer.

But Dafydd Elis-Thomas also warned the Tomorrow's Wales conference in Cardiff there needed to be 10 times better scrutiny of proposed new measures.

From May 2007, those in the assembly will be able to introduce far-reaching legislation known as assembly measures.

Voluntary bodies have been urged to put forward their own ideas for new laws.

After the next assembly elections in May 2007, any assembly member and whichever party or parties form the Welsh Assembly Government will be able to propose the new measures.

"I would expect about 18 measures to be introduced during the first year of the third assembly: six from the assembly government, six from committees and six from individual AMs," Lord Elis-Thomas told the conference.

Lord Elis-Thomas urged voluntary bodies to grasp opportunity

"It is important for assembly members and committees to listen to the views of the people of Wales on this, so I would urge people who think Wales needs legislation in a certain area to write to the assembly with their proposals."

The conference also heard warnings that the assembly's capacity to scrutinise the assembly government after next May would be severely tested.

Constitutional experts and politicians warned that the ability of some 44 backbench assembly members to scrutinise the governmental process in Wales was in question - a fundamental challenge which needed to be addressed urgently.

Dafydd Elis Thomas said the process of scrutiny would have to become 10 times more efficient if the people of Wales were to be well served.

Clearly worded

He also called on AMs and voluntary bodies to grasp the opportunity offered by the new powers and to come up with ideas for measures which could be introduced as soon as possible.

He also called for any new measures to be clearly worded so the people of Wales could understand what was being done in their name.

Tomorrow's Wales is a movement chaired by Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan to support the implementation of the Richard Commission, which called for the assembly to have full law-making powers