Government of Wales Act 2006

36IntegrityU.K.

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)The standing orders must include provision—

(a)for a register of interests of [F1Members of the Senedd], and

(b)for the register to be published and made available for public inspection.

(2)The standing orders must require [F1Members of the Senedd] to register in the register of interests registrable interests, as defined for the purposes of this subsection.

(3)The standing orders must require any [F2Member of the Senedd] who has—

(a)a financial interest, as defined for the purposes of this subsection, or

(b)any other interest, or an interest of any other kind, as so defined,

in any matter to declare that interest before taking part in [F3Senedd] proceedings relating to that matter.

(4)The standing orders may include provision for preventing or restricting the participation in any [F3Senedd] proceedings of [F4a Member of the Senedd ] who has an interest within subsection (2) or (3) in any matter to which the proceedings relate.

(5)The standing orders must include provision prohibiting [F4a Member of the Senedd] from—

(a)advocating or initiating any cause or matter on behalf of any person, by any means specified in the standing orders, in consideration of any payment or benefit in kind of a description so specified, or

(b)urging, in consideration of any such payment or benefit in kind, any other [F2Member of the Senedd] to advocate or initiate any cause or matter on behalf of any person by any such means.

(6)The standing orders must include provision about (or for the making of a code or protocol about) the different roles and responsibilities of [F3Senedd] constituency members and [F3Senedd] regional members; and—

(a)[F3Senedd] constituency members must not describe themselves in a manner which suggests that they are [F3Senedd] regional members, and

(b)[F3Senedd] regional members must not describe themselves in a manner which suggests that they are [F3Senedd] constituency members.

(7)[F4a Member of the Senedd ] who—

(a)takes part in [F3Senedd] proceedings without having complied with, or in contravention of, any provision included in the standing orders in pursuance of subsections (2) to (4), or

(b)contravenes any provision included in the standing orders in pursuance of subsection (5),

commits an offence.

(8)A person guilty of an offence under subsection (7) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(9)A prosecution for an offence under subsection (7) cannot be instituted except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(10)The validity of any [F3Senedd] proceedings is not affected by any contravention or failure to comply with any provision included in the standing orders in pursuance of this section.

(11)In this section—

(a)references to [F4a Member of the Senedd] (apart from those in subsection (6)) include the Counsel General, if not [F4a Member of the Senedd], and

(b)“financial interest” includes a benefit in kind.

Textual Amendments

F2Words in Act substituted (6.5.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 42(2), Sch. 1 para. 2(16) (with Sch. 1 para. 2(11)(12)(14))

Commencement Information

I1Ss. 1-94, 97-106 in force immediately after "the 2007 election" by s. 161(1) (subject to s. 161(4)(5))