Supreme court ruling recognises weight of Welsh laws

Laws passed by the Welsh assembly and Scottish parliament have the same legal weight as acts of parliament, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The judgement relates to a long-running case about the rights of people in Scotland to claim damages for an asbestos-related condition.

The Welsh government welcomed the ruling.

It said it recognised the assembly's acts can only be challenged on the same grounds as parliamentary legislation.

The court dismissed a bid by insurance companies to scrap the right of people in Scotland to claim damages for pleural plaques.

First Minister Carwyn Jones intervened in the case to support the Scottish position because the constitutional principle applied to Wales.

Supreme court judge Lord Hope called it a "matter of great constitutional importance" in deciding whether devolved primary legislation should have the same status as that passed by parliament.

Wales's Counsel General, Theodore Huckle QC, has strongly welcomed the judgement.

He said the Welsh government would continue to analyse the implications of the case.