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The Welsh Government’s first consolidation project to bring order and clarity to the law of Wales.

The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 gives the people of Wales modern, accessible and bilingual law for the protection and management of our unique and precious historic environment.

Follow our timeline from the consolidation project's beginnings to the latest developments…

Explore the Act

10 March 2023

Committee reports on Detailed Committee Consideration

After Detailed Committee Consideration and amendments to the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee recommends that the Bill proceeds to Final Stage.

Bill moves to Senedd vote

8 March 2023

Amended Historic Environment (Wales) Bill online

The Historic Environment (Wales) Bill reflecting the amendments made at Detailed Committee Consideration is now available on the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee page.

Most up-to-date version of the Bill

1 March 2023

Counsel General responds on plans for review of legislation for the marine historic environment

In a letter to the Committee, the Counsel General explains the Welsh Government’s plans for gathering evidence and reviewing the effectiveness of the legislation for the marine historic environment.

Counsel General replies to Committee’s request for further information

13 February 2023

Detailed Committee Consideration for the Bill

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee considers 52 amendments to the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill.

Committee report now due on 10 March

25 January 2023

The Counsel General explains the amendments to the Bill

Writing to all Senedd Members, the Counsel General provides a purpose and effect table and illustrations of the proposed amendments in context.

Supporting documentation for the government amendments

18 January 2023

Counsel General responds to the Committee’s recommendations

The Counsel General sets out the Welsh Government’s position on all the recommendations in the Committee’s report on the initial consideration of the Bill.

Replies on consolidation and the Bill

17 January 2023

Historic Environment (Wales) Bill proceeds after Senedd debate

The Senedd Cymru unanimously agreed that the Historic Environment (Wales) should proceed as a consolidation Bill to Detailed Committee Consideration.

Bill continues its progress through Senedd scrutiny

12 January 2023

Counsel General provides clarification to the Committee

Responding to a recommendation in the report on the Bill, the Counsel General explains the approach taken in section 2(3) to achieve a satisfactory consolidation.

Consolidation, human rights and Standing Orders

23 December 2022

Committee reports on the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill

After careful scrutiny, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee recommends that the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill should proceed.

14 recommendations in a detailed report

14 November 2022

Counsel General gives further evidence to Committee

The Counsel General, Mick Antoniw MS, fields questions across 30 areas of the Bill from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee.

Detailed questioning on the legislation

28 October 2022

Counsel General sets out position on marine heritage

In his reply to the Committee, the Counsel General considers the current legislation for the marine historic environment in the context of consolidation.

Marine historic environment law and consolidation

7 October 2022

Committee asks about the marine historic environment

Prompted by stakeholder evidence, the Committee asks for the Counsel General’s views on the ‘exclusion of the marine environment from the Bill’.

Undersea heritage in the Bill?

3 October 2022

Historic environment stakeholders offer evidence

At the Committee’s invitation, relevant historic environment sector stakeholders provided written evidence on the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill.

Written evidence gathered in targeted collection

20 September 2022

Committee writes again to the Counsel General

Detailed reading of the Drafters’ Notes prompts the Committee to seek clarification from the Counsel General on over 80 points across the Bill.

Careful consideration of the Bill continues

17 August 2022

Counsel General replies to the Committee’s letter

The Counsel General, Mick Antoniw MS, gives a detailed response to the Committee’s request for further information.

Clarification on many aspects of the Bill

28 July 2022

Stakeholder session on the Bill

Over 100 historic environment stakeholders join Cadw's deputy director and the Legislation and Policy Team for a virtual introduction.

A virtual Introduction to the new legislation

19 July 2022

Committee seeks further information from the Counsel General

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee writes to the Counsel General, Mick Antoniw MS, with questions after his evidence session on 11 July.

More detail sought on aspects of the Bill

6 July 2022

Brief article covers essential elements of the Bill

A short article by Senedd researchers gives a useful overview of the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill.

A handy introduction to the Bill

13 March 2020

The Welsh Government’s programme to consolidate the law

Jeremy Miles AM, then Counsel General, explains that the historic environment legislation will be one of the first projects to consolidate Welsh law.