The effectiveness of legislative mechanisms for the devolution of powers in the UK: the case of transport devolution to Wales

The authors consider the effectiveness of legislative mechanisms for devolving state powers on an incremental basis in the UK. There has been considerable critical debate about how these have worked but there have been few detailed studies. This article analyses the case of UK transport devolution to Wales in 2005--06 and finds mixed evidence. While the legislative process was ultimately advantageous to effective policy devolution as perceived both by central and devolved government, it also highlighted the problems of dependency on UK legislative discretion.