Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 1:31 pm on 15 February 2017.
Julie Morgan
Labour
1:31,
15 February 2017
The IFS green budget report shows the wide variation of incapacity benefit claimant rates across the UK, with south Wales consistently conceding 8 per cent, along with other places like the north-east of England, and Merseyside, and the west of Scotland, whereas in much of the south of England, the claimant rate is below 4 per cent. So, does he agree that any changes of policies in this area that the Chancellor were to make would have a disproportionate effect on south Wales in particular and would need significant extra resources to deliver?
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
