First Minister for Wales

From Free net encyclopedia

The First Minister is the leader of the Welsh Assembly Government, Wales's devolved administration. When initially set up under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the title was known as First Secretary (in Welsh Prif Ysgrifennydd), as Wales was given a less powerful assembly and executive than Northern Ireland and Scotland. This was also attributed to the fact that the Welsh term for First Minister, Prif Weinidog, also translates as Prime Minister, so a different title was chosen to avoid confusion with the UK Prime Minister.

This change of title occurred after the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with Labour in the Welsh Assembly in October 2000. The change of title has no effect in law - as the post of First Secretary is established in statute law under the 1998 Government of Wales Act.

The Government of Wales Bill, which is currently going through the Parliament of the United Kingdom, allows for the post to be officially the First Minister and would also make the First Minister the Keeper of the Welsh Seal.

1 First Secretary
2 First Minister
3 Deputy First Minister
4 Sources

[edit]

First Secretary

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1.	Alun Michael	May 12, 1999	February 9, 2000	Lab
2.	Rhodri Morgan (acting)	February 9, 2000	February 15, 2000	Lab
	Rhodri Morgan	February 15, 2000	October 16, 2000	Lab

[edit]

First Minister

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1.	Rhodri Morgan	October 16, 2000	present	Lab

[edit]

Deputy First Minister

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1.	Michael German	October 16, 2000	July 6, 2001	Lib Dem
	Jenny Randerson (acting)	July 6, 2001	June 13, 2002	Lib Dem
2.	Michael German	June 13, 2002	May 8, 2003	Lib Dem