Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament, is the democratically elected body that represents the people of Wales. Its three main functions are to make laws for Wales, to agree certain Welsh taxes, and to hold the Welsh Government to account for its decisions and spending. The institution is made up of Members of the Senedd, who are elected to represent constituencies and regions across the country. The name was formerly the National Assembly for Wales, and it changed to Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament to reflect its status as a law-making parliament rather than an assembly. The word "Senedd" is Welsh for parliament or senate, and it is used in both languages.

The Senedd sits in Cardiff Bay, in a group of buildings beside the waterfront. The main debating chamber, where plenary meetings take place, is in the Senedd building itself, a modern structure with a distinctive sweeping roof that overlooks the bay. Nearby is the Pierhead, a red-brick Victorian building that is now used for events and exhibitions connected to the Senedd's public engagement work, and Ty Hywel, which houses Members' offices and committee facilities. The setting in Cardiff Bay places the parliament close to the regenerated docklands, the Wales Millennium Centre, and the waterfront, an area that has become one of the most visited parts of the capital.

Law-making is at the centre of the Senedd's work. Bills are introduced, debated, and amended through a series of stages before they can become Acts of the Senedd, and committees play a large part in scrutinising the detail of proposed legislation. The Senedd has power to legislate in the areas that are devolved to Wales, which include health, education, the environment, local government, housing, and the Welsh language, among others. Alongside legislation, Members question ministers, debate matters of public concern, and examine the Welsh Government's budget. Committees take evidence from experts, organisations, and members of the public, and they publish reports that influence policy. This scrutiny role is how the elected parliament keeps the government answerable between elections.

The institution operates fully bilingually in Welsh and English. Members may speak in either language in the chamber and in committees, simultaneous translation is provided, and the official record of proceedings is published bilingually. The website at senedd.wales carries information in both languages, and the public can choose which to use when they contact the Senedd or take part in its activities. This bilingual practice is a defining feature of the parliament and reflects the legal status of the Welsh language. For anyone assembling a business directory of Welsh civic institutions, the Senedd is the natural entry for the country's legislature, distinct from the Welsh Government, which is the executive it scrutinises.

The Senedd places considerable weight on being open to the public. People can watch plenary meetings and committee sessions, either in person from the public galleries or online through broadcasts that are made available on the website. Records of debates, written and oral questions, committee evidence, and reports are published so that the work of the parliament can be followed in detail. The petitions system allows individuals and groups to raise issues directly, and petitions that reach a certain level of support can be considered by a committee, giving the public a formal route to put matters on the agenda. Education and outreach programmes bring schools, community groups, and visitors into contact with how the parliament works, and the Senedd runs activities aimed at explaining democracy and encouraging participation.

Visiting the Senedd is encouraged, and entry to the main building is free. Visitors can see the debating chamber, learn about the work of the parliament, and watch proceedings when the Senedd is meeting. Guided tours and events are offered, and the website sets out opening arrangements, what to expect, and how to book where booking is needed. Cardiff Bay is well connected to the rest of the city: it can be reached by train to Cardiff Bay station, by bus, and on foot or by bicycle from the city centre, and there is parking in the surrounding area. The waterfront location means a visit can be combined with the other attractions nearby, which makes the Senedd a practical stop for people who want to understand how Wales is governed.

Contacting the Senedd is handled through a central service. The main telephone number is 0300 200 6565, and correspondence can be sent to the Senedd at Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1SN. Members of the Senedd also have their own offices and contact details, and constituents who want to raise a personal matter are usually best served by contacting the Member who represents their area. The website provides a way to find the relevant Member by location, along with general enquiry routes for questions about visiting, proceedings, and the institution's work.

There are some practical limits too. The Senedd makes laws and scrutinises the government, but it does not deliver public services itself: hospitals, schools, and council services are run by other bodies, and the parliament's role is to legislate and to hold decision-makers to account rather than to handle individual service problems. Many everyday complaints about services are better directed to the Welsh Government, a local authority, an NHS body, or the relevant ombudsman. In addition, the Senedd can only legislate within the areas devolved to Wales, so matters reserved to the UK Parliament fall outside its powers. Understanding this division helps the public direct questions to the right place, and the website offers guidance on where particular issues should go.

The composition of the Senedd reflects the way its members are elected to represent the whole of Wales. Members of the Senedd, often referred to by the initials MS, sit for constituencies and for wider regions, and between them they cover every part of the country. After an election, the Senedd elects a First Minister, who then forms a government, and the parliament organises itself into committees that examine particular subjects such as finance, health, the economy, the environment, and the Welsh language. A Llywydd, or Presiding Officer, chairs proceedings in the chamber and is responsible for the orderly conduct of business, in a role broadly comparable to a speaker in other parliaments. Political parties are represented in proportion to their support, and the balance between government and opposition shapes how debates and votes unfold.

Committees are where much of the detailed work happens, away from the set-piece debates in the chamber. They take written and oral evidence from ministers, officials, experts, businesses, charities, and members of the public, and they use that evidence to scrutinise legislation, examine spending, and investigate matters of concern. A committee may look closely at how a proposed law would work in practice, or it may carry out an inquiry into a broad topic and publish recommendations that the government is expected to respond to. This evidence-based work gives organisations and individuals across Wales a route to influence policy, and the published reports form a useful record for anyone studying how decisions are reached. For people researching Welsh public life, or building a business directory of civic institutions, the committee system is one of the clearest windows into how the Senedd holds power to account.

As the elected parliament for Wales, the Senedd is the institution through which decisions affecting the country are debated and made law, and through which the public can observe and influence the process. Its bilingual proceedings, open records, public galleries, and petitions system make it accessible to people who want to follow Welsh democracy closely. For a business directory of Welsh national organisations, it represents the legislative pillar of devolved government, working alongside, and providing a check on, the Welsh Government in Cardiff.

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