TIME TO DEVOLVE POLICING TO WALES

Plaid Cymru Peer leads push for devolution of policing to Wales in the House of Lords

Plaid Cymru Peer Carmen Smith has today (Thursday 12th March) urged the Labour UK Government not to “ignore” to the growing cross-party consensus in support of devolving policing and youth justice to Wales. 

Baroness Smith of Llanfaes successfully brought the issue to the forefront in a late-night House of Lords debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, in which she led cross-party efforts to urge the UK Government to devolve powers to Wales. 

The Plaid Cymru Peer tabled Amendments 409A and 409B, which sought to devolve policing and youth justice to Wales by removing these matters from the list of reserved powers in the Government of Wales Act 2006. Speaking to the House, she highlighted the inequity of Welsh citizens funding the majority of policing through Welsh Government contributions and council tax, while Westminster retains decision-making powers. She argued that the abolition of police and crime commissioners creates a governance gap in Wales, making it logical for the Welsh Government to have a decisive role in shaping the future of policing. 

The debate saw broad cross-party support. Former First Minister Carwyn Jones (Lord Jones of Penybont, Labour) emphasised that Wales, like Scotland and Northern Ireland, should have powers to shape policing priorities, while noting that cross-border cooperation already addresses concerns about crime. Former Welsh Secretary, Paul Murphy (Lord Murphy of Torfaen, Labour) noted that “times have changed” since he was in government, noting that devolution must now be considered seriously. 

Crossbencher and former Lord Justice, John Thomas, (Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Crossbench) highlighted the absence of a forum to properly discuss Welsh justice, and called for robust engagement with lessons from Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Christine Humphreys (Baroness Humphreys of Llanrwst) endorsed the amendments, noting that youth justice is a contained, high-impact area where phased devolution is feasible. 

The debate follows the UK Government’s formal rejection of devolving policing powers to Wales, as made clear in the House of Commons when Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood responded to Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP. Despite three independent commissions recommending the devolution of justice and policing, Mahmood stated unequivocally: “No, I do not”. 

Responding for the government in the Lords, the Minister of State for the Home Office, David Hanson (Lord Hanson of Flint, Labour) acknowledged the structural changes underway due to the abolition of PCCs and confirmed a review of police force sizes and governance across England and Wales, but reconfirmed the UK Government’s position, that “the Government do not believe that this reorganisation is about devolution”. 

 

Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Smith said: 

"The abolition of PCCs fundamentally reshapes the governance of policing. In England, functions will move to mayoral authorities, yet Wales has no equivalent structures. It is logical that the Welsh Government should be part of the answer, whatever that answer is, to the newly created gap. 

Yet we still do not know what model the Government envisage for Welsh police governance, whether devolution of policing even remains under consideration, despite consistent recommendations from independent commissions, or how Welsh financial contributions, already substantial, will be recognised. 

In 2024-25, only around 43% of policing expenditure in Wales came from the UK Government. 

The remainder came from Welsh government contributions and council tax. 

This remains a reserved matter in which the UK Government retain that decision-making power, yet Welsh citizens already fund most of their policing.” 

  

Speaking after the session, she added: 

"It is clear there is overwhelming support for devolving policing and youth justice – from former First Minister Carwyn Jones to former Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy, to independent figures such as the former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, John Thomas. 

“Yet the current Welsh Secretary and Home Secretary continue to ignore Welsh voices and continue to say ‘No’. Wales deserves fairness and accountability. If the UK Government ignores this consensus, it risks sidelining the voices of Welsh citizens who already fund these essential services. It’s now time for common sense to prevail." 

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