UPDATE

POLITICIANS and others have been responding to this morning's announcement of new devolved powers for Wales.

Here is some of the reaction.

First Minister, Carwyn Jones said: “I note what has been said by the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister this morning, and there is some welcome progress on certain areas. Credit is due to those, from all parties, who have worked to get something tangible out of this rushed and unsatisfactory process. However, Wales is still not being treated with the same respect as that being afforded to Scotland and this continuing imbalanced approach is damaging to the UK.

“The proposals only go some of the way to matching Labour’s devolution offer already set out by Ed Miliband, but they fall short in crucial areas - such as on policing."

Chris Sutton, CBI Wales Chair, said: “For the Welsh economy to prosper there has to be a renewed commitment from all politicians to deliver a devolution dividend not a devolution risk premium.

“New powers must be exercised responsibly, recognising the value of the UK’s single market and the value of cross border trade with England.

“The risk of ‘devolution by deadline’ is a cause for concern. The devolution of powers must be done in a careful, considered and transparent manner.”

National Director of Sustrans Cymru, Jane Lorimer said the news that the setting of national speed limits is to be devolved to Wales paves the way to see a default 20mph limit on streets across towns and cities.

“We called for speed limits to be devolved to Wales to ensure the Welsh Government had all the tools necessary to make our roads safer and support active travel, and we’re delighted the UK Government has delivered," she said.

NEW powers will be devolved to Wales under landmark plans being announced by David Cameron and Nick Clegg.

Funding reforms, more energy powers, and constitutional changes are set to be detailed in a paper to parliament.

But the devolution package for the Welsh Assembly is not expected to include proposals for handing over controls of policing and welfare.

Ahead of a visit to Wales, the Prime Minister said: "This is the latest step in finding lasting settlements across the country to make our United Kingdom stronger and fairer.

"We are delivering on devolution in every part of the UK.

"We want to deliver new powers to Wales so that more decisions are taken closer to the people and give greater responsibility to the Welsh Assembly.

"That means those who spend taxpayers' money must be more responsible for raising it.

"This is devolution with a purpose, working for Wales."

It comes after months of negotiations, led by Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb, between party leaders in Westminster and Cardiff Bay.

Reforms aimed at addressing issues about the way the assembly is funded are expected to be outlined, along with changes intended to remove perceived barriers preventing a referendum being staged on income tax powers.

Constitutional changes that would allow the assembly to become a permanent parliament with the ability to draw up its rules, are also set to be announced.

But cross-party talks failed to reach an agreement on transferring responsibility for police, courts and prisons, or the benefit system.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "I've been banging the drum for years now for greater devolution for Wales, and the rest of the United Kingdom.

"So I am delighted to be coming to Wales to announce this new constitutional settlement, another landmark on the journey of decentralisation.

"Putting real power into the hands of the Welsh people is a vital part of creating a stronger economy in a fairer society for everyone.."

Mr Crabb added: "This is a strong package that creates the foundations for a stronger, fairer, lasting devolution settlement for Wales.

"These new powers create an important opportunity for Wales, they are powers with a purpose.

"As a UK Government, we believe in rebalancing the economy to enable wealth to be created more fairly and evenly across the whole country.

"This St David's Day package provides a toolkit to help strengthen the economy here in Wales too."