Welsh Assembly
The Welsh National Assembly is one of the departments of the English Government. They speak for the Welsh, when it comes to local economy, education etc.
They have to make decisions toward what keeps the people busy in daily live, make a policy that fits with English policy. They also have to make an own Legislation : a Welsh Legislation.
Ministers
Of course the Assembly has a few people who run the place.
Most important: The First Minister. At the moment Rhodri Morgan is the First Minster of Wales. He has been pronounced for this title in May 2007, by the queen herself of course. He is the most important person when it comes to the Welsh policy. He is also the person who appoints, with approval from Queen, the Welsh Ministers and the Deputy Welsh Ministers.
And he is responsible for the contact with the rest of the UK and other countries.
Beside the First Minister you have several other ministers. Those are not AS important as the First Minister, but they also have a very important job within the Welsh Assembly. Now following are some of the head ministers of the Welsh Assembly:
Rt. Hon Rhodri Morgan AM
24/07/07
First Minister for Wales.
Ieuan Wyn Jones AM
24/07/07
Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport.
Jane Davidson AM
24/07/07
Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing.
Andrew Davies AM
24/07/07
Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery.
Dr Brian Gibbons AM
24/07/07
Minister for Social Justice and Local Government.
Edwina Hart MBE AM
24/07/07
Minister for Health and Social Services
Jane Hutt AM
24/07/07
Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.
Alun Ffred Jones AM
24/07/07
Minister for Heritage
Carwyn Jones AM
24/07/07
Counsel General and Leader of the House.
Elin Jones AM
24/07/07
Minister for Rural Affairs.
Committees
These are just a few of all of the ministers that Wales has. All of these ministers have their own party. And all of these ministers are divided in several committees. These committees exist to allow Ministers to consider broad policy options and their development in a more reflective and deliberative way, working with outside interests as appropriate. While Cabinet remains the ultimate decision-making body, the committees allow fuller, and more strategic, consideration of policy in the major cross-cutting areas.
These committees present their results very openly, and often they publish reports, where they explain what kind of progression they made.
There are several committees, which all have their own particular ministers:
-Children and Young People
-Public Service Delivery
-Regeneration, Skills and Tackling Economic Inactivity
-Strategic Capital Investment
-Sub-Committees from previous administrations
Cabinet Statements
Every cabinet makes his own statements, and so does the Welsh Assembly. Each minister has the right to make a certain statement. The minster can choose to make an oral statement, or an written statement. A Minister may deliver an oral statement to the Assembly during Plenary meetings on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and this is then followed up by a question and answer session. The Ministerial Code requires that the most important announcements of the Assembly’s policy should be made, in the first instance, in the Assembly.
And of course every Minister may issue a written statement to Assembly Members at any time. But a downside is, that there is no opportunity for a follow up question and answer session.
Every year there are a lot of statements made, orally or written. All of these statements are saved and combined in a ‘yearbook’.
Consultation
Beside making legislation, and governing Wales, the Welsh Assembly also give consultations about all kinds of topics. About economics, finances, health and social care, statics etc. etc. A lot of people appreciate these, and the Assembly prefers to keep the consultations up to date.
Welsh Assembly election, 2007
|
Parties |
Constituency
(First past the post) |
Regional
(Additional member system) |
Total seats |
Votes |
% |
+/− |
Seats |
+/− |
Votes |
% |
+/− |
Seats |
+/− |
Total |
+/− |
% |
|
|
|
Labour Party |
314,925 |
32.2 |
-7.8 |
24 |
−5 |
288,954 |
29.6 |
-6.9 |
2 |
+2 |
26 |
−3 |
43.3 |
|
|
|
Plaid Cymru |
219,121 |
22.4 |
+1.2 |
7 |
+2 |
204,757 |
21.0 |
+2.3 |
8 |
+1 |
15 |
+3 |
25.0 |
|
|
|
Conservative |
218,730 |
22.4 |
+2.4 |
5 |
+4 |
209,153 |
21.4 |
+2.3 |
7 |
-3 |
12 |
+1 |
20.0 |
|
|
|
Liberal Democrats |
144,450 |
14.8 |
+0.6 |
3 |
0 |
114,500 |
11.7 |
-1.0 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
10.0 |
|
|
|
Independent |
29,699 |
|
|
1 |
0 |
9,350 |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1.7 |
|
|
|
British National |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
42,197 |
4.3 |
+4.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
UK Independence |
18,047 |
1.8 |
-0.5 |
0 |
0 |
38,490 |
4.0 |
+0.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Green |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
33,803 |
3.5 |
-0.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Socialist Labour |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
12,209 |
1.2 |
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Welsh Christian |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
8,963 |
|
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Communist |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
3,708 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice |
3,348 |
|
N/A |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Christian Peoples |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
2,694 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Socialist Alternative |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
1,865 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Respect |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
1,792 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
English Democrats |
1,867 |
|
N/A |
0 |
0 |
1,655 |
|
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Veritas |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
505 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Socialist Equality |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
292 |
|
+0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
|
20 |
|
60 |
|
|
|
|
Current composition
