2. Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution – in the Senedd on 1 March 2023.
Rhys ab Owen
Plaid Cymru
7. What discussions has the Counsel General had with UK Government law officers about ensuring that Wales has the powers to make St David's Day a public holiday? OQ59171
Mick Antoniw
Labour
2:57,
1 March 2023
Well, thank you for the question. The creation of bank holidays is not a devolved matter. We have asked the UK Government, on more than one occasion, to designate the day as a bank holiday in Wales or to give us the power to do so ourselves. Unfortunately, these requests have been rejected.
Rhys ab Owen
Plaid Cymru
On the first St David's Day of the National Assembly, back in 2000, there was a debate proposing that St David's Day should become a bank holiday. Like the debate last year, this we supported by all Members of the Assembly, as it was then. However, in 2002, Paul Murphy rejected the bid, and Peter Hain did likewise in 2005. Would a future Labour Secretary of State give a different response to Mr Murphy and Mr Hain?
Mick Antoniw
Labour
2:57,
1 March 2023
Well, thank you for that. I cannot predict what a future Secretary of State for Wales might do. I am pretty confident, though, there would be considerable sympathy and support for our ambition. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, Wales's national day, should be a bank holiday, as is the case in Scotland and Northern Ireland, who have bank holidays for St Andrew and St Patrick respectively. The UK Government's refusal to grant this, saying that Wales has different histories—economic, social, cultural and legal systems—in my view just doesn't wash. We have our own self-identity. It is every bit as strong as in the other countries of the United Kingdom and, in my view, it's time for the United Kingdom Government to wake up to that.
We have in the UK the lowest number of public holidays in Europe, so making St David's Day a bank holiday is a genuine opportunity to level up with workers across Europe. So, I very much support the sentiments of the Member. I'm happy to reiterate our whole-hearted support for the creation of St David's Day as a bank holiday, and I will continue to assert the case for the devolution of the powers to the Senedd.
