Commenting on calls from Senedd members for the devolution of policing in Wales, South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has said this “separatist strategy to break up Britain must be avoided at all costs”.
Pontypridd Senedd member and former Counsel General Mick Antoniw demanded ministers “engage in urgent discussions with the Home Secretary to ensure that, at long last, policing is urgently devolved to Wales”.
Mr Davies said:
“It is deeply concerning to hear more separatist calls for the devolution of policing in the Senedd.
“These calls are part of a salami slice strategy to break up Britain.
“The Senedd must get no more powers.”
ENDS
NOTE: Please find below the Senedd’s record of proceedings from 19th November 2025
Mick Antoniw
15:20:00
The elected police and crime commissioners in Wales, such as Alun Michael, Jeff Cuthbert, Andy Dunbobbin and many others were not responsible for the design of the scheme, but they did do all they could to make it work, and, in some areas, had exemplary successes. However, I agree with you: we now have the opportunity for the reform and the devolution of policing, which has broad support and which we’ve been calling for for many years. Often, our communities are amazed when we attend packed meetings and inform them that policing is not devolved, despite its fundamental integration with so many other devolved functions: mental health, community safety, combatting anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and so on.
Cabinet Secretary, the Home Office Secretary said that the reforms will make policing accountable to local mayors and councils. The only way this can work effectively in Wales is by the devolution of policing. Now, I read from the statement from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners who says:
‘They will be responsible for holding the police to account, setting police and crime plans and budgets and become the elected voice of the public in policing.’
The failure to devolve policing previously was an act of political intransigence by the UK Government, rather than practical policy, but we now have the opportunity to rectify that anomaly. So, will the Cabinet Secretary engage in urgent discussions with the Home Secretary to ensure that, at long last, policing is urgently devolved to Wales, as is intended for England and is already the case in parts of England?
Jane Hutt
15:21:39
Thank you very much, Mick Antoniw. First of all, can I, as I said in my opening response, again thank our PCCs, our police and crime commissioners, who’ve played a key role in holding our police forces to account, as well as shaping local priorities and representing the voices of our communities? You’ve mentioned the police and crime commissioners, Alun Michael, Jeff Cuthbert and Andy Dunbobbin. Can I also acknowledge the work of current police and crime commissioners, Dafydd Llywelyn, Emma Wools and Jane Mudd, as well as Andy Dunbobbin?
I’ve already spoken and written to the policing Minister. It’s welcome that the Home Office have recognised the different governance arrangements between England and Wales and have committed to work with the Welsh Government and the Welsh PCCs. Our view is that we can build on established, well-regarded structures for partnership working, such as the existing policing partnership board for Wales. Also, as we work through the way forward, it is working in partnership with, principally, our PCCs, our partnership board, local government, other key stakeholders, to develop that most appropriate form of local policing governance and scrutiny in Wales. As I’ve mentioned, the policing partnership board already provides a degree of accountability to the Senedd, so it’s something we could build on in a future Senedd, rather than building wholly new structures. The main issue is that key functions currently exercised by police and crime commissioners in Wales must continue to be exercised in Wales. The conversation we’ve opened with the UK Government is about how that happens, not whether it happens.