‘Untied Kingdom’: Sir Paul Silk to discuss the work of the Silk Commission

Sir Paul Silk

The Chair of the Commission on Devolution in Wales, Sir Paul Silk KCB will be speaking at a seminar organised by the Institute of Welsh Politics and Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs at Aberystwyth University on Thursday 12th February, 2015 at 6.30pm.

The seminar, entitled ‘Untied Kingdom’, will take place in the Main Hall of the International Politics building and will be chaired by Dr Elin Royles.

The talk will draw on the area of interest for the Silk Commission on the Devolution in Wales, held between 2011 and 2014.

The Commission reported in two parts. Part I saw the commission give recommendations that would give Wales the power to raise a quarter of its budget, with Wales having the power to vary income tax in 2020, following a referendum.

In 2014, Part II advocated an increase in the number of Assembly Members, devolution of policing and for the drink-drive and speed limits to also be the responsibility of the Welsh Government.

In his talk, Sir Paul Silk will look back at the Silk Commission years, to give his personal views on the process and on the experience of chairing the commission, and to share his ideas regarding the changes that might be seen following the reports.

Speaking ahead of the seminar, Dr Anwen Elias, Director of the Institute of Welsh Politics, said: “The Institute of Welsh Politics are very glad to welcome Sir Paul Silk back to the Department of International Politics a year after the publication of the second part of the Silk Commission Report.

“The continuous discussions involved around the future of devolution in Wales and the UK certainly makes this an exciting time to hear Sir Paul Silk’s views and vision on the way forward for this ‘Un-tied Kingdom’, and we are very glad to work alongside the Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs in organising this event”.

Further details available from sgc.iwp@aber.ac.uk, 01970 622336.

The Institute of Welsh Politics
The Institute of Welsh Politics is an independent and non-partisan research centre established within the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University in 1997, the oldest department of its kind in the world.  It was established to promote the academic study and analysis of all aspects of Welsh politics and the IWP is now internationally recognised as an important research centre on political regionalism and sub-state nationalism.

Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs
The Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs was launched in January 1999 to consolidate, and provide a focus for, the Department's expertise and work on the law as it applies within Wales and on general legal developments of relevance to Wales.  A key aim of the Centre is to explore whether there is a distinct Welsh perspective on general legal questions within the common legal system of England and Wales and to ensure that Welsh legal developments are placed in the wider context of developments at the UK, European and International levels.  Devolution is not just a question affecting Wales: it is a live issue in Scotland, Northern Ireland, London, the English regions and in many other parts of Europe.  The Centre collaborates with other institutions throughout the UK and elsewhere to consider legal developments within other devolved jurisdictions on a comparative basis.

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