Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026

The Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (“the 2026 Act”) strengthens the accountability of Members of the Senedd by improving the systems that regulate and sanction their behaviour and conduct. It also requires the Welsh Ministers to extend the current regulation of candidates’ conduct at elections. 

Part 1 makes provision for a system of recall. This allows electors to remove a Member from office during their term following either conviction and a custodial sentence of a year or less, or where the Senedd resolves that a Member should be subject to a recall poll following a recommendation of the Standards of Conduct Committee. This Part also requires the Standards of Conduct Committee, established by Part 2, to develop draft guidance for when a sanction of recall should be recommended.

Part 2 requires the establishment of a Standards of Conduct Committee in each Senedd, and that such a Committee must appoint at least one lay member (i.e. a person who is not an elected Member of the Senedd).  This Part also makes changes to the legislative framework under which the Senedd’s Commissioner for Standards operates. 

Part 3 amends the Government of Wales Act 2006 to place a duty on the Welsh Ministers to make provision prohibiting the making or publishing of false or misleading statements of fact, before or during an election, for the purpose of affecting the return of any candidate.  This Part also amends section 13 of the Act 2006 Act, to clarify the existing extent of that power.

The Explanatory Notes to the 2026 Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
 

Coming into force

Section 26 of the 2026 Act makes provision about the coming into force of the Act.

The provisions of Part 2 (including Part 2 of the Schedule to the Act) and Part 4 came into force on 28 April 2026. 

The provisions of Part 3 will come into force on 27 June 2026.

The provisions of Part 1 within the Act will come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by Welsh statutory instrument.
 

Subordinate legislation made under the Act

Any subordinate legislation made under the 2026 Act will be added when that subordinate legislation is made.
 

Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd

The Bill was introduced to the Senedd on 3 November 2025 by Julie James MS, the then Counsel General and Minister for Delivery. It was passed by the Senedd on 17 March 2026 and received Royal Assent on 27 April 2026.

More information about the 2026 Act is provided on the Senedd website including a record of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.

An Explanatory Memorandum was originally prepared for consideration by the Senedd alongside the Bill. This has now been revised and updated to reflect the final form of the 2026 Act.

Related articles and information

Individual Member Accountability: Recall
Individual Member Accountability: Deliberate deception