The
Welsh devolution referendum of 1997 was a pre-legislative
referendum held in
Wales on 18 September 1997 over whether there was support for the creation of an
assembly for Wales with devolved powers. The referendum was a Labour manifesto commitment and was held in their first term after the
1997 election. Unlike the
referendum in Scotland a week earlier, there was no proposal for the assembly to have tax-varying powers. This was the second referendum held in Wales over the question of devolution,
the first was held in 1979 and was defeated by a large majority.