Part of 2. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 4 July 2017.
Carwyn Jones
Labour
2:13,
4 July 2017
This will become easier when teachers’ pay and conditions are devolved, but it is right to say that—. I’ve heard it myself in my own Constituency about people complaining about agency fees that are paid. There’s no requirement, as far as I can see, that local authorities have to go through an agency; it’s just that they choose to go through an agency. Nor are they required to go through a particular agency, nor are school heads, necessarily. I think it is important that local authorities examine the way in which supply teachers are provided in their areas, even though it’s a matter, I believe, for school heads, rather than local authorities, to make sure that school heads themselves understand that there are options available to them when it comes to recruiting supply staff.
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.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent