Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 11 June 2024.
Joel James
Conservative
1:39,
11 June 2024
As you will know, First Minister, every UK Government has been defeated due to its economic record, which has left us with higher taxes, higher national debt and higher unemployment. As we have seen recently, a Keir Starmer Government—sorry, Llywydd, a Sir Keir Starmer Government; whatever else he is, the man is still a knight—will mean higher taxes for ordinary men and women throughout Wales. [Interruption.]
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 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.
