The Senedd, officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and Senedd Cymru in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees to certain taxes, and scrutinises the Welsh Government. It is a bilingual institution, with both Welsh and English being the official languages of its business. From its creation in May 1999 until May 2020, the Senedd was officially known as the National Assembly for Wales and often simply called the Welsh Assembly.
The First Minister of Wales, known as First Secretary of Wales from 1999 until 2000, is the leader of the Welsh Government and keeper of the Welsh Seal. The first minister chairs the Welsh Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Welsh Government policy. Additional functions of the first minister include promoting and representing Wales in an official capacity, at home and abroad, and responsibility for constitutional affairs, as they relate to devolution and the Welsh Government.
Margaret Ann Jones is a Welsh Labour Co-operative politician. Born in Rhyl, Denbighshire, Jones was the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Vale of Clwyd from 1999 until she retired in 2021. From 11 May 2016 until her retirement, she was the Deputy Presiding Officer for the Senedd.
Dafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas,, is a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from 1984 to 1991 and represented the Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency in the Senedd from 1999 to 2021.
Mair Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely is a Welsh Labour politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Welsh Government since 2021. Morgan has served as a Member of the House of Lords since 2011 and as a Member of the Senedd (MS) since 2016. She was previously Minister for the Welsh Language from 2017 to 2021, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing from 2020 to 2021, and a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 1994 to 2009.
The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, informally known as the Wales Office, is a department of His Majesty's Government. It replaced the former Welsh Office, which had extensive responsibility for governing Wales prior to Welsh devolution in 1999.
Jane Elizabeth Hutt is a Welsh Labour Party politician serving as Welsh Government Chief Whip since 2023 and Trefnydd of the Senedd since 2024. She has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the Vale of Glamorgan since 1999.
Elin Jones is a Welsh politician who has served as the Llywydd of the Senedd since 2016. A member of Plaid Cymru, Jones has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ceredigion since 1999.
David Robert Michael Melding is a former Welsh Conservative Party politician, who served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales Central between 1999 and 2021. He was the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Senedd between 2011 and 2016.
Nick Ramsay is a British politician who served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Monmouth from 2007 to 2021. Originally a member of the Welsh Conservatives, he served as Shadow Minister of Finance under Conservative Leader in the Senedd, Paul Davies, but lost the position in January 2021 under the new leadership of Andrew RT Davies. Ramsay sat as an Independent member before unsuccessfully seeking reelection as an Independent in the 2021 Senedd election.
Elizabeth Joyce Watson is a Welsh Labour politician who has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Mid and West Wales since 2007.
Veronica Kathleen German, Baroness German is a Welsh Liberal Democrat politician who was a Member of the Welsh Assembly (AM) for the South Wales East region between 2010 and 2011.
Suzy Davies is a Welsh Conservative Party politician, who served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales West from 2011 to 2021. She was elected first on the Welsh Conservatives party list for the region in the 2011 election.
Janet Elizabeth Finch-Saunders is a Welsh Conservative Party politician. She is the Member of the Senedd for the Aberconwy constituency.
Dame Elan Closs Stephens is a Welsh academic who has been a non-executive director of the BBC Board since 2017, serving as BBC Chairwoman from 27 June 2023. Specialising in cultural and broadcasting policy, she is also Electoral Commissioner for Wales and Pro-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University. She also chairs the UNESCO International Prize for the Creative Economy panel.
Rebecca Mary Evans is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet Office since 2024. She was previously Minister for Finance from 2018 to 2024. Evans has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Gower since 2016, and a Member for Mid and West Wales from 2011 to 2016.
Hannah Blythyn is a Welsh politician who serving as Minister for Social Partnership since 2021. She was previously Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government from 2018 to 2021. A member of Welsh Labour, she has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Delyn since 2016.
Dawn Alison Louise Bowden is a British Labour Party politician and trade unionist serving as Minister for Social Care since 2024. She previously served as Chief Whip of the Welsh Government from 2021 to 2023 and Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport from 2021 to 2024. Bowden has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney since 2016.
Jayne Bryant is a Welsh Labour Party politician. Since May 2016 she has represented Newport West in the Senedd.
