Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 11 June 2024.
Vaughan Gething
Labour
2:11,
11 June 2024
Well, it's interesting that the Member now decries action that he was asking for. The fact is that, last week, we had the first round-table on taking forward the sustainable farming scheme. We are committed to a scheme that supports high-quality food and drink production and meets our obligations for the climate and nature emergencies that we face. That is what we are doing, and we're giving ourselves the space to do so.
And when it then comes to the rest of his comments, I admire the fact that he's advertising for a future vacancy to his group. I actually think that when the public come to vote, they will look for a positive partnership for Wales and Britain. They will look to what his party has done. They will look to the way that his party has assaulted devolution, taken our money and taken our powers, and reflect that that cannot be the right answer for Wales. I look forward to what we will do in the future. I look forward to the Member retaining his place in the benches of Opposition, where he belongs.
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.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
