The Welsh Assembly Government

  Senedd is Government House

The Senedd is not just a building for Members. It is the main public building of the National Assembly, the main centre for democracy and devolution in Wales.  it is a public building. It is also a sustainable building, built of traditional Welsh materials such as slate and Welsh oak and other sustainable materials. It is also sustainable in the way it is heated; for example, the earth exchange system uses heat from the bottom of the old dock, on which the Senedd stands, before it became the area which is now Cardiff Bay. It is the symbol of the new nation that Wales has become.

 

The creation of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 sparked a new era for Wales. For the first time, Welsh Ministers, based in Wales, could make policies and regulations, tailor-made for Wales and often distinct from those implemented elsewhere in the UK.

Since devolution, the Welsh Assembly Government has seen increases in its powers through legislation such as the Government of Wales Act 2006, which allows Welsh Ministers to make Welsh Laws (Assembly Measures).

Devolved government has had an impact on the lives of everyone in Wales. This includes improvements in our Public Services, better working partnerships with the private sector and greater support for the voluntary sector.

The Welsh Assembly Government consists of:

The First Minister

Welsh Ministers

The Counsel General 

Deputy Ministers.

First Minister who is the leader of the Welsh Assembly Government, which was established in 1999. When initially set up under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the title was known as First Secretary for Wales.

Welsh Ministers are cabinet which is the main decision-making body of the Welsh Assembly Government. It gives direction to the work of the whole organisation. It discusses matters which engage Ministers collectively, have strategic implications, or impact financially on their programme of work.

 The Counsel General  who is The chief legal adviser to the Welsh  Assembly Government.

Deputy Ministers who is Four Deputy Ministers have been appointed to exercise functions on behalf of Ministers in particular areas of work.