Two very exciting political prospects on the horizon in 2016. Firstly, the fourth series of Kevin Spacey’s House of Cards reboot is expected in February and secondly, Assembly elections take place in May.
But what does all that have to do with this week in Wales? It’s a question of legacy.
Teasers for the Netflix programme suggest the modern Frank Underwood is now fixated on his presidential legacy. This is a matter which has also been under discussion by AMs this week. Loose ends from the Fourth Assembly are being tied up at quite a pace.
The Renting Homes (Wales) Bill was finally passed on Tuesday and the Regulation & Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill will be voted on for a final time next Tuesday.
Many of the Committees met in private this week to conclude reports into inquiries that have gone on for months.
Others are considering their responses to an internal consultation on the legacy of the work undertaken in the last four years – questioning what impact this Assembly had had on life in Wales.
Now, I doubt that many AMs are running a Frank Underwood style inner monologue but the notion of this Assembly’s legacy is an interesting one.
From week to week, the Fourth Assembly has trundled along. Not as high profile as Scotland or as high stakes as Northern Ireland. But trundling for five years, you can still cover some ground and there are certainly a few highlights.
The obvious headline grabber is the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 which led the UK by creating a system of presumed consent for organ donation. This was hugely important work which will increase the number of organs available for transplant. And there was also the much hyped Wellbeing of Future Generations Act which was world-leading in draft form but mind-boggling by the time it hit the statute books.
And, if neither of those guarantees this Assembly a spot in the history books, there are a few Bills still outstanding. We have the Environment Bill and Historic Environment Bill which consolidate existing legislation.
Ministers are set to bring forward the Tax Collection & Management Bill which will create the first Welsh taxes for almost 1000 years.
There is also the Public Health Bill which may make some contentious rulings on e-cigarettes, if Opposition parties can be persuaded to back it.
Lib Dem Leader, Kirsty Williams’ member proposed bill which would ensure a minimum number of nurses on hospital wards is also set to be wrapped up before the Presiding Officer calls time in March.
Of course, this Assembly has been about more than a roll call of Bills. This article does not take into account the impact of the other work undertaken by AMs and indeed the very fundamental changes to the Welsh devolution settlement but, as the first Assembly with the power to make laws, the question of legacy is an important one.