1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at on 1 May 2024.
Joyce Watson
Labour
8. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government's progress in implementing the Fair Work Commission's recommendations? OQ61003
Hannah Blythyn
Labour
2:17,
1 May 2024
This Government remains committed to using all the levers we have to embed fair work in Wales. We published our latest progress report on 16 April. The report shows that all priority recommendations have been implemented and the vast Majority of the remaining recommendations have been realised or are in the process of being put into practice.
Joyce Watson
Labour
Thank you for that update. It's good to see that, despite the challenges we face, progress is being made on the many recommendations in the Fair Work Commission's report. I'm particularly pleased to see the work being done here by the Welsh Labour Government to promote the positive role of trade unions in the workplace and beyond. This, of course, is in stark contrast to the current incumbent Tory Government who, time and time again, have attacked trade unions and sought to take away hard-fought-for rights of working people. Today is, in fact, International Workers Day, an annual commemoration of the struggles and gains made by the labour movement. So, Minister, would you agree with me that we need a Labour Government returned at the General Election and the implementation of UK Labour's transformative new deal for workers?
Hannah Blythyn
Labour
2:18,
1 May 2024
Thank you for raising those important points.
Hannah Blythyn
Labour
I should start by declaring an interest. I'm a proud trade unionist and have spent the best part of my working life advocating for a better deal at work. It's right and fitting, on International Workers Day, that we reflect and recognise the role that trade unions have played not just in making work better, but in shaping a fairer society as well. But we know that that work is, sadly, far from done and we need look no further than the tired and toxic UK Tory Government and the series of ideological attacks it has launched on trade unions, not least the pernicious anti-democratic and anti-worker Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023. We compare this to what we're doing here in Wales with a Welsh Labour Government that is committed to social partnership working and has legislated to make that part of our devolved DNA. Whilst that legislation is significant, it's not just legislation alone, or about that. Our unions and the world of work pilot project is teaching the next generation of workers, employers and entrepreneurs about their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. But you're right, we could do so much more if there was a fairer floor when it comes to employment rights and protections. So, I absolutely agree that we need a UK Labour Government and the full implementation of a new deal for workers; it would both empower workers, but also our Welsh way of working in social partnership.
The language of Wales spoken by around 25% of the population. It is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Celtic group. It was made "offical" in Wales by the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is known in Welsh as Cymraeg.
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 term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.
In a general election, each constituency chooses an MP to represent it by process of election. The party who wins the most seats in parliament is in power, with its leader becoming Prime Minister and its Ministers/Shadow Ministers making up the new Cabinet. If no party has a majority, this is known as a hung Parliament. The next general election will take place on or before 3rd June 2010.
The political party system in the English-speaking world evolved in the 17th century, during the fight over the ascension of James the Second to the Throne. James was a Catholic and a Stuart. Those who argued for Parliamentary supremacy were called Whigs, after a Scottish word whiggamore, meaning "horse-driver," applied to Protestant rebels. It was meant as an insult.
They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
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.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru