The National Assembly for Wales (Oath of Allegiance in Welsh) Order 1999

Statutory Instruments

1999 No.1101

DEVOLUTION, WALES

OATHS

WELSH LANGUAGE

The National Assembly for Wales (Oath of Allegiance in Welsh) Order 1999

Made

6th April 1999

Laid before Parliament

14th April 1999

Coming into force

6th May 1999

Whereas a member of the National Assembly for Wales is required in accordance with section 20 of the Government of Wales Act 1998(1) to take the oath of allegiance set out in section 2 of the Promissory Oaths Act 1868(2), or to make the corresponding affirmation, as soon as may be after he is returned as an Assembly member (whether for the first time or subsequently);

And whereas, where an Act of Parliament specifies any form of words which is to be or may be used for an official or public purpose or for any other purpose where the consequences in law of any act depend on the form used, the appropriate Minister is empowered under section 26(2) of the Welsh Language Act 1993(3) to prescribe by order a form of words in Welsh for use in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the order;

And whereas the Secretary of State is the appropriate Minister for the execution of the provisions of section 20 of the Government of Wales Act 1998;

Now therefore, the Secretary of State for Wales, in exercise of his powers under section 26(2) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order–

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the National Assembly for Wales (Oath of Allegiance in Welsh) Order 1999 and shall come into force on 6th May 1999.

(2) In this Order–

“the 1868 Act” means the Promissory Oaths Act 1868;

“the 1998 Act” means the Government of Wales Act 1998;

“Assembly member” has the meaning given in section 2 of the 1998 Act;

“the corresponding affirmation” means the affirmation referred to in section 20 of the 1998 Act.

Assembly member’s oath or affirmation in Welsh

2.—(1) The form of words set out in Part I of the Schedule to this Order is hereby prescribed as the form of words in Welsh which may be used by an Assembly member instead of the form of words specified in section 2 of the 1868 Act, in the circumstances in which he is required, in accordance with section 20 of the 1998 Act, to take the oath of allegiance set out in the said section 2.

(2) The form of words set out in Part II of the Schedule to this Order is hereby prescribed as the form of words in Welsh which may be used by an Assembly member instead of the corresponding affirmation, in the circumstances in which he is required, in accordance with section 20 of the 1998 Act, to make the corresponding affirmation.

Name of Sovereign for the time being to be used in oath

3.  Where in the words prescribed by this Order, the name of Her present Majesty is expressed, the name of the Sovereign of this Kingdom for the time being shall be substituted from time to time.

Alun Michael

Secretary of State for Wales

6th April 1999

article 2

SCHEDULE

Part I

“Yr wyf i, yn addo trwy gymorth y Goruchaf y byddaf yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i'w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elizabeth, ei hetifeddion a'i holynwyr, yn ôl y gyfraith, yn wyneb Duw.”

Part II

“Yr wyf i, yn datgan ac yn cadarnhau yn ddifrifol, yn ddiffuant ac yn ddidwyll y byddaf yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i'w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elizabeth, ei hetifeddion a'i holynwyr, yn ôl y gyfraith.”

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Section 20 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 provides that a member of the National Assembly for Wales shall (as soon as may be after he is returned as an Assembly member) take the oath of allegiance set out in section 2 of the Promissory Oaths Act 1868, or make the corresponding affirmation.

This Order provides that the oath of allegiance may be taken, or the corresponding affirmation may be made, in Welsh by an Assembly member. It also prescribes the form of Welsh words to be used.

NODYN ESBONIADOL

(Nid yw hwn yn rhan o'r Gorchymyn)

Mae adran 20 o Ddeddf Llywodraeth Cymru 1998 yn darparu y bydd aelod o Gynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru (cyn gynted ag y bo modd ar ôl iddo gael ei ddychwelyd fel aelod o'r Cynulliad) yn tyngu'r llw teyrngarwch a nodir yn adran 2 o Ddeddf Llwon Addewidiol 1868, neu'n rhoi'r cadarnhad cyfatebol.

Mae'r Gorchymyn hwn yn darparu y gall aelod o'r Cynulliad dyngu'r llw teyrngarwch, neu rhoi'r cadarnhad cyfatebol, yn Gymraeg. Mae hefyd yn pennu'r geiriad Cymraeg i'w ddefnyddio.

(1)

1998 c. 38.

(2)

31 and 32 Vict c. 72.

(3)

1993 c. 38.