Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs (Wales)

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Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs of Wales
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Materion Gwledig (Welsh)
Flag of Wales.svg
Huw-irranca-davies (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Huw Irranca-Davies MS
since 21 March 2024 (2024-03-21)
Welsh Government
Style Welsh Cabinet Secretary
StatusCabinet Secretary
Member of
Reports tothe Senedd and the First Minister of Wales
Seat Cardiff
Nominator First Minister of Wales
Appointer The Crown
Term length Five years
Subject to elections to the Senedd which take place every five years
First holder AM
Website gov.wales/huw-irranca-davies-ms

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs (Welsh : Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Materion Gwledig) is a member of the cabinet in the Welsh Government. The current officeholder is Huw Irranca-Davies since March 2024.

Contents

Ministers

NamePictureEntered officeLeft officeOther offices heldPolitical partyGovernmentNotes
Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Economy
Christine Gwyther Christinegwyther.jpg 12 May 199922 February 2000 Labour Michael government

Interim Morgan government

[1] [2] [3] [4]
Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development
Christine Gwyther Christinegwyther.jpg 22 February 200023 July 2000 Labour Interim Morgan government [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones 2011.jpg 23 July 200016 October 2000 Labour Interim Morgan government [4] [5] [6] [8]
Minister for Rural Affairs
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones 2011.jpg 16 October 2000 Labour First Morgan government [4]
Minister for Assembly Business and Rural Affairs
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones 2011.jpg 26 February 200217 June 2002Minister for Assembly Business Labour First Morgan government [4] [10]
Minister for Rural Affairs and Wales Abroad
Mike German Michael German (cropped).jpg 18 June 20021 May 2003 Deputy First Minister of Wales Liberal Democrat First Morgan government [4]
Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside
Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones 2011.jpg 9 May 20032007 Labour Second Morgan government [11] [12]
Minister for Rural Affairs
Elin Jones Elin Jones 2011.jpg 9 July 200711 May 2011 Plaid Cymru Fourth Morgan government

(One Wales coalition of Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour)

First Jones government

[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths AM (28170808445).jpg 19 May 20163 November 2017 Labour Third Jones government [18] [19] [20]
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs
Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths AM (28170808445).jpg 3 November 201713 December 2018 Labour Third Jones government [18]
Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs
Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths AM (28170808445).jpg 13 December 201813 May 2021 Labour First Drakeford government [18]
Minister for Rural Affairs, North Wales and Trefnydd
Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths (cropped official portrait).JPG 13 May 202120 March 2024 Minister for North Wales

Trefnydd

Labour Second Drakeford government [18] [21] [22]
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs
Huw Irranca-Davies Huw-irranca-davies (cropped).jpg 21 March 2024Incumbent Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change Labour Gething government [23]

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the post, as of December 2023, are to oversee: [18]

As a Welsh Minister, the holder is to have an annual salary of £105,701 for 2020–2021. [24]

History

When the assembly was established, it was expected that the first holder of the "agriculture and rural affairs portfolio" would be Ron Davies, Labour AM for Caerphilly and former Welsh Labour leader and Welsh Secretary. The shunning of Davies, by his successor Alun Michael, First Secretary of Wales, in Michael's cabinet, was described to be a disappointment and a surprise by Davies. [3] By 2000, there was also a "deputy minister for Rural Affairs, Culture and Environment", with Delyth Evans AM holding the position in Rhodri Morgan's Labour–Liberal Democrate cabinet from 17 October 2000 to 31 July 2002. [4] [10]

During Plaid Cymru's Elin Jones' tenure in the role from 2007, [16] she became notable for implementing some decisions while Minister for Rural Affairs. She announced the mass cull of Wales’ badger population in an effort to reduce bovine TB. While in the role, Jones clashed with the UK Government by supporting the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, and opposed the idea of selling woodland as is the practice in England. [15] In 2010, Jones set out a horticulture plan while in the role. [25] Following the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election, Labour decided to form a government without Plaid Cymru, therefore Jones was not returned to the role. [26] [27] [28] Carwyn Jones, then first minister, was criticised in 2011 for not including a "rural affairs" role in his cabinet. [29]

The position was reestablished in 2016, following the appointment of Lesley Griffiths as Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Griffiths (Welsh politician)</span> Welsh Labour politician and Member of the Senedd for Newport East

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Griffiths</span> Welsh Labour politician and Member of the Senedd for Wrexham

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Jones government</span> Welsh government (2016–2018)

The third Jones government was a Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition government formed after the 2016 general election in Wales. On 14 October 2016, Dafydd Elis-Thomas left Plaid Cymru in order to support the coalition government and to give them a ruling majority; he later sat as an independent in the Senedd. The government was replaced by the Drakeford government on 13 December 2018, following the resignation of Carwyn Jones as First Minister the previous day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Morgan government</span> Welsh government (2000–2003)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gething government</span> Current Welsh Government (2024–present)

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References

  1. ↑ Hartley-Brewer, Julia (23 February 2000). "Women take lead in Welsh cabinet posts". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "BBC News | WALES | Morgan reshuffles Assembly pack". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 Staff (12 May 1999). "No place in Welsh Cabinet for Ron Davies". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Key Events in the Development of the National Assembly for Wales First Assembly: 1999 - 2003" (PDF). senedd.wales. National Assembly for Wales.
  5. 1 2 Harte, Claire (24 July 2000). "Welsh farm minister sacked". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 "BBC News | WALES | Gwyther sacked from Assembly cabinet". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "Gwyther forced to step down". Farmers Weekly. 24 July 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Carwyn Jones: Welsh Labour leader who lost his grip". BBC News. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Osmond, John, ed. (May 2000). "Devolution in Transition Monitoring the National Assembly February to May 2000" (PDF). ucl.ac.uk . Institute of Welsh Affairs. p. 54.
  10. 1 2 "First Minister's Report August 2001- July 2002" (PDF). senedd.wales. p. 22.
  11. ↑ "Key Events in the Development of the National Assembly for Wales Second Assembly: 2003 - 2007" (PDF). senedd.wales. National Assembly for Wales.
  12. ↑ "Labour's assembly cabinet named". 8 May 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "New cabinet unveiled | Welsh Government". www.wired-gov.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Rt. Hon. Elin Jones MS". senedd.wales. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  15. 1 2 WalesOnline (10 February 2011). "Elin Jones reflects on four years as Wales' Rural Affairs Minister". Wales Online. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  16. 1 2 Live, North Wales (20 July 2007). "Elin honoured by rural affairs role". North Wales Live. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  17. ↑ "Carwyn Jones reveals new cabinet". 10 December 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lesley Griffiths MS: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "Lesley Griffiths appointed as new Welsh Environment and Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary". www.farminguk.com. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Taking Wales Forward | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  21. ↑ "Lesley Griffiths reappointed as Welsh rural affairs minister". Farmers Weekly. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "Lesley Griffiths reappointed Wales' farming minister". www.farminguk.com. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "Wales' new First Minister Vaughan Gething announces his cabinet". ITV News. 21 March 2024.
  24. ↑ "Determination on Members' Pay and Allowances: 2020-2021" (PDF). senedd.wales. Remuneration Board.
  25. ↑ York, Lois (28 April 2010). "Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones launches plan for Welsh horticulture industry". North Wales Live. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  26. ↑ "Elin Jones' future as rural minister in doubt". Farmers Weekly. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  27. ↑ "Assembly vote leaves Elin Jones out in the cold". Farmers Weekly. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  28. ↑ NationCymru (16 March 2022). "Senedd Llywydd Elin Jones appointed to Privy Council by the Queen". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  29. ↑ "Carwyn Jones rejects criticism over rural affairs role". BBC News. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  30. ↑ Kelsey, Chris (20 May 2016). "Farming unions welcome Lesley Griffiths". Wales Online. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
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