Editing Senedd (section)

===Enhanced powers: The Government of Wales Act 2006===
{{main|Government of Wales Act 2006}}
The [[Government of Wales Act 2006]] received [[Royal assent]] on 25 July 2006. It conferred on the Assembly legislative powers similar to other [[devolution|devolved]] legislatures through the ability to pass [[Measure of the National Assembly for Wales|Assembly Measures]] concerning matters that are devolved. Requests for further legislative powers made through [[Legislative Competence Order|legislative competence]] requests were subject to the veto of the [[Secretary of State for Wales]], [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] or [[House of Lords]].

The Act reformed the assembly to a parliamentary-type structure, establishing the [[Welsh Government]] as an entity separate from, but accountable to the National Assembly. It enables the Assembly to legislate within its devolved fields.

The Act also reforms the Assembly's electoral system. It prevents individuals from standing as candidates in both constituency and regional seats. This aspect of the act was subject to a great deal of criticism{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}}, most notably from the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]].{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}, although it was supported in the Richard Commission<ref name="richardspage" />

The Act was heavily criticised{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}}. [[Plaid Cymru]], the Official Opposition in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2007, attacked it{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}} for not delivering a fully-fledged parliament. Many commentators{{who|date=May 2020}} have also criticised the Labour Party's allegedly partisan attempt to alter the electoral system. By preventing regional Members from standing in constituency seats the party has been accused{{by whom|date=May 2020}} of changing the rules to protect constituency representatives. Labour had 29 members in the Assembly at the time, all of whom held constituency seats.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The changes to the Assembly's powers were commenced on 4 May 2007, after the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|election]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/5211918.stm Assembly powers bill becomes law]: ''BBC News''. 25 July 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2006.</ref>

Following a [[2011 Welsh devolution referendum|referendum on 3 March 2011]], the Welsh Assembly gained direct law making powers, without the need to consult Westminster.