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Who Decides What in Wales 2 - at the UK Level

UK / Westminster / Houses of Parliament
Despite Wales now having its own devolved institution, the UK Government still exercises considerable authority over polices affecting Wales. Policy areas that were not transferred from Westminster to Cardiff are often referred to as non-devolved or reserved, and some very significant areas of responsibility still remain at Westminster. Examples of ‘reserved’ issues taken forward by the UK Government include UK foreign policy, benefits and social security, discrimination legislation, pension legislation, issues relating to police and armed forces, regulation of numerous professions including health professions and for UK taxes outside Scotland.

The Palace of Westminster – also called the Houses of Parliament – has two two chambers – the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons has 646 MPs, all of whom are elected via a first past the post electoral system – they are all constituency MPs. Although the House of Lords has been reformed in recent years, it remains unelected. Following the reforms, most of its members are now appointed. There is a campaign to change the House of Lords further – to make it wholly or partially elected.

Links and contact details

Name: BBC – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
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Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: BBC Wales – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
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Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: National Assembly for Wales – list of Assembly Members (AMs)
Web: www.assemblywales.org
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Info: National Assembly for Wales – list of all Assembly Members (AMs) and their contact details. We all have five local AMs – one is out local constituency AMs and four are ‘regional’ AMs – covering a wider part of Wales. You can contact any or all of them.

Name: Westminster Parliament – list of Members of Parliament (MPs)
Web: www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/index.cfm
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Info: Government website listing all MPs by name and by constituency

Name: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils
Web: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/DG_065241
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Info: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils and their websites. Your local council can provide details of all of your local councillors.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs
Web: www.europarl.org.uk/section/your-meps/your-meps
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Info: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs with contact details.

Name: National Assembly for Wales
Web: www.assemblywales.org
Email:
Tel: 0845 010 5500
Textphone: 0845 010 5678
Info: The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales and holds the Welsh government to account.

Name: Welsh Assembly Government
Web: www.wales.gov.uk
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Info: The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Wales, including the economy, health, education, and local government.

Name: Westminster Parliament
Web: www.parliament.uk
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Info: The official website for the UK House of Parliament.

Name: The Prime Minister’s office (UK)
Web: www.number10.gov.uk
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Info: The official website for the Prime Minister’s office.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website
Web: www.europarl.org.uk
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Name: Europa – the European Union’s portal web site
Web: europa.eu
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Info: EUROPA is the European Union’s portal web site. It provides all the information made available on the Internet by the institutions and bodies of the European UnioEUROPA is administered by the European Commission in partnership with the other European institutions.

Name: The Labour Party
Web: www.labour.org.uk
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Name: Plaid Cymru
Web: www.plaidcymru.org
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Name: The Conservative Party
Web: www.conservatives.com
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Name: The Liberal Democrats
Web: www.libdems.org.uk
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Name: The Green Party
Web: www.greenparty.org.uk
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Name: UK Independence Party
Web: www.ukip.org
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