Rejected petition Stop South Wales Police referring to ASD as a mental disorder .

South Wales Police regularly refer to individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s or ASD as having a mental disorder in court papers. This is highly offensive to those diagnosed with Asperger’s or ASD and discriminatory under the Equality Act.

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I have copies of two separate court proceeding documents relating to two different individuals in which the Police describe those individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s or ASD as having a mental disorder. This practice needs to cease.

Why was this petition rejected?

It’s about something that the Senedd or Welsh Government is not responsible for.

The Government of Wales Act 2006 establishes the extent of the Senedd’s power to make new laws and amend existing law (also known as legislative competence). Schedules 7A and 7B of the 2006 Act set out the issues which are ‘restricted’ or ‘reserved’ - i.e. areas where the UK Parliament, not the Senedd, can legislate.

Policing is a reserved matter under section B5 of Schedule 7A. As a result, it is not possible for the Senedd to take the action called for by your petition.

Further information about the powers and responsibilities of the Senedd can be found here: https://senedd.wales/how-we-work/our-role/powers/

You may wish to consider petitioning the UK Parliament about this issue instead: https://petition.parliament.uk/

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards

Rejected petitions are published in the language in which they were submitted

Date submitted 17 May 2025
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