Queen opens stronger new assembly

Arriving with the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall, she was greeted at the Senedd by Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas. A 21-gun salute rang out on board HMS Exeter, docked in nearby Britannia Bay. It is her fifth visit to the assembly where extended powers mean laws can be drawn up in Wales, though they will have to be voted on in Parliament.

Officially opening the third assembly session, she told Assembly Members: "The Government of Wales Act opens a new era for devolution. "It is now for you to ensure that policies and legislation meet the needs and aspirations of the people of Wales more closely than ever before. "I shall follow your progress with great interest and hope that you will build on the achievements of the last eight years in the service of the people of Wales."

It is up to the newly-elected AMs, she added, to ensure policy and legislation meets the aspirations of the people of Wales. First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: "This is an exciting time for Wales. There may even be moments of turbulence to cope with from time to time. "I will be doing my level best in piloting the aircraft that is Wales, knowing the best aircraft in the world all have wings made in Wales, to get us safely to the destination we all want to see of a Wales that is thriving, healthy, sustainable, skilled and equipped for the new century - new challenges in every way."

The meeting of the Queen and Mr Morgan marks the new constitutional relationship in which the first minister is now officially appointed by the monarch. In another change to assembly procedure, the monarch met with the first minister - who leads a minority Labour administration in the Senedd after last month's election - similar to her weekly talks with the prime minister.

Speaking on Radio Wales before the meeting, Mr Morgan said he had not prepared a script. Mr Morgan added that it was too early to predict the outcome of the meeting as it would be the "first of a new kind of audience" and thought both he and the Queen would probably be "playing it off the cuff".

Moving onto the subject of increased powers for the assembly, Mr Morgan said it was important they were used to the utmost. "We have to find a way of using these new powers to the full, using good old British and Welsh common sense," he said. The new legislation allows the assembly to make its own laws and has provided for an eventual move to full law-making powers, but only after a referendum. However, any laws have to be approved by the Houses of Parliament.

A committee of MPs has told AMs that they should ask Westminster for permission to pass new laws only a handful of times a year due to the parliamentary timetable.

Labour took control in the Senedd after three weeks of uncertainty following the 3 May election. Labour, with 26 of the 60 seats, is the biggest party, but three rivals - Plaid Cymru, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats - may form a so-called "rainbow coalition" to force Mr Morgan out of power. Two Plaid AMs, Leanne Wood and Bethan Jenkins, are boycotting the royal opening, and will visit a homelessness project in Swansea instead. "As a Welsh person, I do not see how the monarchy is relevant to my everyday life, and to my generation," said Ms Jenkins.

(Source: BBC News)