Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

A Government Bill, introduced by Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Social Services. The Business Committee remitted the Bill to the Health and Social Care Committee.

About the Bill

The Bill will reform and integrate social services law for people and make provision for:

Improving the well-being outcomes for people who need care and support, and carers who need support;
Co-ordination and partnership by public authorities with a view to improving the well-being of people;
Complaints and representations relating to social care and palliative care;
Local authorities’ social service functions and that of Welsh Ministers to intervene in a local authority’s exercise of its social services functions; and connected purposes.

Current Stage

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (external website) became law in Wales (external website) on 1 May 2014.

Record of Passage in the National Assembly for Wales

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the National Assembly for Wales.

Stage	Documents
Bill introduced – 28 January 2013	Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill, as introduced (PDF, 691KB) Explanatory Memorandum (PDF, 600KB) Presiding Officer’s Statement on Legislative Competence: 28 January 2013 (PDF, 125KB) Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill: 28 January 2013 (PDF, 60.6KB) Report on the revised timetable for consideration of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill: 25 June 2013 (PDF, 47.3KB) Research Service Bill Summary (PDF, 334KB) Written Statement by the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services: 28 January 2013 Oral Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: 29 January 2013 Plenary statement: Introduction of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill: 29 January 2013 Legislative Glossary – Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill (Welsh language version only) (PDF, 180KB) Storify of the Bill (summary of online mentions)
Stage 1 - Committee consideration of general principles	Consultation letter (PDF, 324KB) – The Committee issued a call for evidence, which closed on 15 March 2013. Consultation responses Supplementary information Legislative advice from Expert Adviser The Committee considered the Bill on the following dates: 6 March 2013 (private) 18 April 2013 2 May 2013 8 May 2013 16 May 2013 6 June 2013 12 June 2013 (private) 20 June 2013 (private) 26 June 2013 (private) 1 July 2013 4 July 2013 (private) 10 July 2013 Committee Stage 1 report (PDF, 1.08MB) Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee report (PDF, 576KB) Letter from Deputy Minister to the Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee 25 September 2013 (PDF 331KB) Deputy Minister’s response to the recommendations of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee & Annex 15 October 2013 (PDF 1078KB) Deputy Minister’s response to the recommendations of the Health and Social Care Committee (PDF, 561KB) (letter dated 7 October 2013)
Stage 1 - Debate in plenary on general principles	A debate took place in Plenary on 8 October 2013. The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed.
Financial Resolution	A Financial Resolution in relation to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill was agreed in Plenary on 8 October 2013.
Stage 2 - Committee consideration of amendments	Stage 2 consideration took place in Committee on 13 November, 27 November, 5 December and 11 December 2013. The Health and Social Care Committee agreed on 9 October 2013 under Standing Order 26.21, that the order of consideration for Stage 2 proceedings will be: Sections 2 to 69; Schedule 1; Sections 70 to 119; Schedule 2; Sections 120 to 160; Schedule 3; Sections 161 to 169; Section 1; Long title. Stage 2 consideration began in Committee on 13 November 2013. At that meeting, Sections 2 to 17 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments (PDF, 539KB) Groupings List (PDF, 83KB) Concise minutes: 13 November 2013 Stage 2 consideration continued in Committee on 27 November 2013. During the meeting, Sections 18 to 42 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments (PDF, 484KB) Groupings List (PDF, 81KB) Concise minutes: 27 November 2013 Stage 2 consideration continued in Committee on 5 December 2013. During the meeting, Sections 43 to 161 and Schedules 1 to 3 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments (PDF, 387KB) Groupings List (PDF, 77KB) Concise minutes: 5 December 2013 Stage 2 continued in Committee on 11 December 2013. During the meeting, Sections 162 to 169 and Section 1 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments (PDF, 153KB) Groupings List (PDF, 65 KB) Concise minutes: 11 December 2013 Notices of Amendments Notice of Amendments: 9 October 2013 (PDF, 142KB) Notice of Amendments: 10 October 2013 (PDF, 69 KB) Notice of Amendments: 14 October 2013 (PDF, 96KB) Notice of Amendments: 15 October 2013 (PDF, 55KB) Notice of Amendments: 16 October 2013 (PDF, 121KB) Notice of Amendments: 22 October 2013 (PDF, 63KB) Notice of Amendments: 23 October 2013 (PDF, 128KB) Notice of Amendments: 28 October 2013 (PDF, 56KB) Notice of Amendments: 29 October 2013 (PDF, 101KB) Notice of Amendments: 30 October 2013 (PDF, 171KB) Notice of Amendments: 31 October 2013 (PDF, 62KB) Notice of Amendments: 4 November 2013 (PDF, 88KB) Notice of Amendments: 5 November 2013 (PDF, 84KB) Notice of Amendments: 6 November 2013 (PDF, 66KB) Notice of Amendments: 18 November 2013 (PDF, 79KB) Notice of Amendments: 19 November 2013 (PDF, 51KB) Notice of Amendments: 20 November 2013 (PDF, 58KB) Notice of Amendments: 27 November 2013 (PDF, 64KB) Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 2 (PDF, 807KB) (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.) Explanatory Memorandum revised after Stage 2 (PDF, 1.04MB) Research Service Bill Summary of changes made at Stage 2 (PDF, 158KB)
Stage 3 - Plenary consideration of amendments	Stage 3 consideration and disposal of amendments took place in Plenary on 4 February and 11 February 2014. The Assembly agreed on 28 January 2014 under Standing Order 26.36, that the order of consideration for Stage 3 proceedings will be: Sections 2 to 76; Schedule 1; Sections 77 to 133; Schedule 2; Sections 134 to 169; Schedule 3; Sections 170 to 183; Section 1; Long title. Stage 3 consideration and disposal of amendments began in Plenary on 4 February 2014, during which sections 2 to 68 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments: 4 February 2014 (PDF, 385KB) Groupings List: 4 February 2014 (PDF, 80KB) Stage 3 consideration and disposal of amendments continued in Plenary on 11 February 2014. During the meeting, Sections 69 to 183, Section 1 and Schedules 1 to 3 were deemed to be agreed. Marshalled List of Amendments: 11 February 2014 (PDF, 263KB) Groupings List: 11 February 2014 (PDF, 72KB) Notices of Amendments Notice of Amendments: 6 January 2014 (PDF, 158KB) Notice of Amendments: 8 January 2014 (PDF, 58KB) Notice of Amendments: 15 January 2014 (PDF, 82KB) Notice of Amendments: 21 January 2014 (PDF, 63KB) Notice of Amendments: 22 January 2014 (PDF, 81KB) Notice of Amendments: 23 January 2014 (PDF, 65KB) Notice of Amendments: 24 January 2014 (PDF, 154KB) Notice of Amendments: 27 January 2014 (PDF, 75KB) Notice of Amendments: 28 January 2014 (PDF, 136KB) Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 (PDF, 671KB) (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.) Research Service Bill Summary of changes made at Stage 3 (PDF, 148KB)
Report stage - Plenary consideration of amendments	The Report Stage debate took place in Plenary on 18 March 2014. Marshalled List of Amendments: 18 March 2014 (PDF, 305KB) Groupings List: 18 March 2014 (PDF, 71KB) The Assembly agreed on 11 March 2014 under Standing Order 26.36, that the order of consideration for Report Stage proceedings will be: Sections 2 to 79; Schedule 1; Sections 80 to 137; Schedule 2; Sections 138 to 173; Schedule 3; Sections 174 to 194; Section 1; Long title. Notices of Amendments Notice of Amendments: 3 March 2014 (PDF, 51KB) Notice of Amendments: 4 March 2014 (PDF, 57KB) Notice of Amendments: 6 March 2014 (PDF, 69KB) Notice of Amendments: 7 March 2014 (PDF, 227KB) Notice of Amendments: 10 March 2014 (PDF, 88KB) Notice of Amendments: 11 March 2014 (PDF, 99KB) Notice of Amendments: 18 March 2014 (PDF, 51KB)
Stage 4 - Passing of the Bill in Plenary	The Bill was agreed by the Assembly in accordance with SO 12.36 on 18 March 2014. Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill, as passed (PDF, 917KB) (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the right margin.)
Post-stage 4	The Attorney General (PDF, 173KB), Counsel General (PDF, 122KB)and Secretary of State for Wales (PDF, 72KB) wrote to the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Assembly to advise that they would not be referring the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court under Sections 112 or 114 of the Government of Wales Act 2006.
Royal Assent	Royal Assent was given on 1 May 2014.