Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:07 pm on 7 March 2017.
Jayne Bryant
Labour
2:07,
7 March 2017
Thank you, First Minister. The Royal College of Midwives report this year highlighted the growing age of the midwifery workforce and the need to ensure we replace those highly skilled and dedicated workers when they retire. As you said, the news of the 40 per cent increase in the number of university places for student midwives in the coming academic year and the continuing support for bursaries is very welcome. Commitments like this are essential to ensure that our maternity services attract more midwives over the coming years, so that they can deliver safe, high-quality care for women and babies. Will the Welsh Government pay tribute to the dedicated midwifery workforce that we have and will the Government work with health boards and trade unions to make sure that those approaching retirement can pass on their valuable skills and experience to the next generation of midwives?
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.
