Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 24 January 2017.
Steffan Lewis
Plaid Cymru
2:11,
24 January 2017
I declare an interest in that my sister works for Network Rail. First Minister, I’ve had correspondence from people who are frustrated at insufficient public transport links in Blaenau Gwent at night time. Currently, the last Cardiff train stops at Llanhilleth, with no public transport links to get further up the valley, leaving taxis as the only option, if any of those are available. So, can he update us on plans to open a new station at Abertillery? But importantly, what steps and what Intervention will the Welsh Government take, and partnership working with the local authority, to provide adequate bus links before a new metro comes on stream?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
