First Minister for Wales
Encyclopedia
The First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, Wales
' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and Wales abroad; and staffing.
The official office of the First Minister is in Tŷ Hywel, previously known as Crickhowell House, and the Senedd
in Cardiff Bay
. An office is also kept at the Crown Buildings, Cathays Park
, Cardiff
.
, the post was known as First Secretary for Wales (in Welsh
Prif Ysgrifennydd Cymru), as Wales was given a less powerful assembly and executive than Northern Ireland
and Scotland
. This was also attributed to the fact that the Welsh term for First Minister, Prif Weinidog, also translates as Prime Minister, so a different title was chosen to avoid confusion with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
.
A change of title occurred after the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government
with Labour
in the Welsh Assembly in October 2000. The Government of Wales Act 2006
allowed for the post to be officially known as the First Minister and also made the First Minister, Keeper of the Welsh Seal.
, executive functions are conferred on the National Assembly for Wales and then separately delegated to the First Minister and to other Cabinet Ministers and staff as appropriate.
Until the Government of Wales Act 2006, these were delegated powers of the UK government. Since that Act came into force in May 2007, however, the First Minister is appointed by the monarch and represents the Crown
in Wales. Whilst this has little practical difference, it was a huge symbolic shift as for the first time in centuries the head of government in Wales is appointed by the Crown on the advice of the elected representatives of the Welsh people.
The First Minister appoints the Welsh Ministers, Deputy Welsh Ministers and the Counsel General for Wales
(collectively known as the Welsh Government), with the approval of Her Majesty.
Following separation between the legislative and the executive on the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006
(upon appointment of the First Minister, 25 May 2007), the Welsh Ministers exercise functions in their own right. Any further transfers of executive functions from the UK Government will be made directly to the Welsh Ministers (with their consent) by an Order in Council approved by Parliament.
The First Minister is accountable and responsible for:
's term of office, the post, previously titled First Secretary of Wales, was retitled First Minister of Wales.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
' devolved administration, which was established in 1999. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and Wales abroad; and staffing.
The official office of the First Minister is in Tŷ Hywel, previously known as Crickhowell House, and the Senedd
Senedd
The Senedd , also known as the National Assembly building, houses the debating chamber and three committee rooms for the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff. The Senedd building was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 1 March 2006 and the total cost was £69.6 million, which included £49.7M in...
in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
. An office is also kept at the Crown Buildings, Cathays Park
Cathays Park
In addition to the large lawn in front of the City Hall, Cathays Park includes three formal gardens. All of the spaces are within conservation areas and many of the surrounding buildings are listed. The open spaces are very important to the image of the city. Several important buildings overlook...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Terminology
When initially set up under the Government of Wales Act 1998Government of Wales Act 1998
This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998 This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998...
, the post was known as First Secretary for Wales (in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
Prif Ysgrifennydd Cymru), as Wales was given a less powerful assembly and executive than Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. This was also attributed to the fact that the Welsh term for First Minister, Prif Weinidog, also translates as Prime Minister, so a different title was chosen to avoid confusion with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
.
A change of title occurred after the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with Labour
Wales Labour Party
Welsh Labour is the part of the United Kingdom Labour Party that operates in Wales. Labour is the largest and most successful political party in modern Welsh politics, having won the largest share of the vote at every UK General Election since 1922, every Welsh Assembly election since 1999, and...
in the Welsh Assembly in October 2000. The Government of Wales Act 2006
Government of Wales Act 2006
The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reforms the National Assembly for Wales and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily...
allowed for the post to be officially known as the First Minister and also made the First Minister, Keeper of the Welsh Seal.
Role
Under the arrangements in the Government of Wales Act 1998Government of Wales Act 1998
This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998 This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998...
, executive functions are conferred on the National Assembly for Wales and then separately delegated to the First Minister and to other Cabinet Ministers and staff as appropriate.
Until the Government of Wales Act 2006, these were delegated powers of the UK government. Since that Act came into force in May 2007, however, the First Minister is appointed by the monarch and represents the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
in Wales. Whilst this has little practical difference, it was a huge symbolic shift as for the first time in centuries the head of government in Wales is appointed by the Crown on the advice of the elected representatives of the Welsh people.
The First Minister appoints the Welsh Ministers, Deputy Welsh Ministers and the Counsel General for Wales
Counsel General for Wales
The Counsel General for Wales advises the Welsh Government on Welsh legislative matters and advises on legislative competency. The position of the Counsel General for Wales is described in the Government of Wales Act 2006 and controlled in Standing Order 5 ....
(collectively known as the Welsh Government), with the approval of Her Majesty.
Following separation between the legislative and the executive on the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006
Government of Wales Act 2006
The Government of Wales Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reforms the National Assembly for Wales and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily...
(upon appointment of the First Minister, 25 May 2007), the Welsh Ministers exercise functions in their own right. Any further transfers of executive functions from the UK Government will be made directly to the Welsh Ministers (with their consent) by an Order in Council approved by Parliament.
The First Minister is accountable and responsible for:
- Exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Welsh Government.
- Policy development and coordination of policy.
- The relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and Wales Abroad.
- Staffing/Civil Service
List of First Secretaries and First Ministers
On 16 October 2000, during Rhodri MorganRhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
's term of office, the post, previously titled First Secretary of Wales, was retitled First Minister of Wales.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office | Political party | Elected | Government | Deputy | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Alun Michael Alun Michael Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of... (1943–) AM for Mid and West Wales |
12 May 1999 |
9 February 2000 |
Labour | 1999 | Michael Lab (minority) |
none | ||
| 2 |  |
Rhodri Morgan Rhodri Morgan Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011... (1939–) AM for Cardiff West Cardiff West (Assembly constituency) Cardiff West is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election... |
9 February 2000 |
9 December 2009 |
Labour | — | Morgan I Lab – LD Welsh Liberal Democrats The Welsh Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties of the federal Liberal Democrats and operate within Wales, the others being the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England.... |
Mike German (LD) 2000–01 Jenny Randerson (LD) 2001–02 (acting) Mike German (LD) 2002–03 |
||
| 2003 | Morgan II Lab (minority) |
none | ||||||||
| 2007 National Assembly for Wales election, 2007 The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place... |
Morgan III Lab (minority) |
|||||||||
| — | Morgan IV Lab – Plaid Plaid Cymru ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966... |
Ieuan Wyn Jones Ieuan Wyn Jones Ieuan Wyn Jones, AM is a Welsh politician, who was the Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government from 2007 until 2011. Jones is the current leader of Plaid Cymru and Member of the National Assembly for Wales for the Ynys Môn constituency... (Plaid Cymru) |
||||||||
| 3 | Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Carwyn Howell Jones is a Welsh politician and the First Minister of Wales. The third official to lead the Welsh Government, Jones has been Assembly Member for Bridgend since 1999. In the coalition government of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, he was appointed Counsel General for Wales and Leader of... (1967–) AM for Bridgend |
9 December 2009 |
Incumbent | Labour | — | Jones I Lab – Plaid Plaid Cymru ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966... |
||||
| 2011 National Assembly for Wales election, 2011 The National Assembly for Wales election 2011 was the most recent election for the National Assembly. The poll was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 and decided the incumbency for all the assembly's seats... |
Jones II Lab (minority) |
none | ||||||||
Sources
- Dates are from World Statesmen and various BBC News Online articles from 1999 to 2003.
External links
- http://www.assemblywales.org/memhome/mem-role-response.htm Roles and Responsibilities.
- http://new.wales.gov.uk/about/cabinet/?lang=en Welsh Assembly Government: Cabinet and ministers.