THE latest stage in the devolution process took a step closer to being signed off yesterday, Wednesday, as it completed its journey through the House of Lords.

Peers voted through the bill after less than an hour of discussion, just a day after the Welsh Assembly passed a Legislative Consent Motion, which gives Parliament authority to pass law on devolved matters.

Speaking in the Lords yesterday, under-secretary of state for Wales, Lord Bourne welcomed the previous day’s vote in the Assembly.

“I thank Assembly Members, the first minister and the Welsh Government for their support for the motion,” he said.

“It stands as testament to how far we have come.”

He added: “The government have listened carefully to the issues that have been raised throughout these debates and have brought forward amendments to address many of them.”

Included in the bill are the devolution of income tax powers as well as others around energy, transport and teachers’ pay.

Previous versions of the bill were met with strong opposition in Wales, with Carwyn Jones branding it “an English veto on Welsh laws”.

But the current version has been received far more warmly, although Mr Jones and others have said they remain unhappy with many elements of it.

Conservative Peer Lord Bourne said he believed the bill “meets the government’s ambition for a lasting devolution settlement for Wales”.

“In our opinion, the clearer, fairer and stronger settlement for Wales delivered by this bill and supported by the National Assembly will bring about a new era of mature devolved governance in Wales.”

The Wales Bill will now return to the House of Commons for MPs to vote on amendments made during its passage through the Lords.

If MPs give it the thumbs-up, as it is being generally predicted they will, all that remains for it to pass into law is for the Queen to give the bill Royal Assent, which is expected to happen by the summer.