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Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

QNR – in the Senedd at on 28 February 2017.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour

(Translated) What plans does the First Minister have to increase the number of GPs in Wales?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

We launched a national and international recruitment campaign last October aimed at attracting doctors, particularly GPs, to train, work, and live in Wales. This phase of the campaign is just the start of a longer term approach aimed at increasing the number of healthcare professionals working in primary care in Wales.

Photo of Rhianon Passmore Rhianon Passmore Labour

(Translated) Will the First Minister outline what actions the Welsh Government is taking to provide extra support for high street businesses in Islwyn?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

We continue to provide a wide range of support to all high-street businesses in Wales, including actions that improve business conditions.

Photo of Janet Finch-Saunders Janet Finch-Saunders Conservative

(Translated) Will the First Minister make a statement on equality in local government service provision?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

Local authorities have a range of statutory equalities duties, most notably those included in the Equality Act 2010.

Photo of Jayne Bryant Jayne Bryant Labour

(Translated) Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's approach to intermediate care for older people in the Newport area?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

The intermediate care fund supports partnership working between health, local authorities, housing and the third and independent sectors to enable older people to maintain their independence. Over £11 million has been made available to the Gwent region for 2016-17. ‘Taking Wales Forward’ commits to retaining this important fund.

Photo of Angela Burns Angela Burns Conservative

(Translated) Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to reduce drink related deaths in Wales?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

We are investing almost £50 million a year in our substance misuse agenda, which includes taking a range of actions to help reduce drink-related deaths in Wales. Details are set out in our latest substance misuse delivery plan for 2016-18.

Photo of Gareth Bennett Gareth Bennett UKIP

(Translated) Will the First Minister make a statement on the 21st Century Schools Programme in South Wales Central?

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour

Band A of the twenty-first century schools and education programme will see investment of over £356 million in schools in South Wales Central over the five-year period ending 2019.

Cabinet

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.

Minister

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.