Gwent AMs get Cabinet posts in reshuffle

8:55pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By David Deans - Politics reporter

TWO Gwent AMs are now at the cabinet top table in the Welsh Government after first minister Carwyn Jones held a reshuffle today.

Alun Davies, AM for Blaenau Gwent, has been promoted from deputy minister for agriculture to be minister for natural resources and food.

He takes on elements of the previous job of Newport East AM John Griffiths, who moves from environment minister to minister for culture and sport.

Ministers visited Cathays Park in Cardiff yesterday to be informed of their new posts, with no serving minister or deputy minister missing out on a portfolio.

Professor Mark Drakeford has been picked from the backbenches to become health minister. He had served as chairman of the Assembly's health committee.

He replaces Lesley Griffiths, who is now minister for local government, and will oversee government business.

Carl Sargeant, who had held the transport and local government brief, is now minister for housing and regeneration.

Edwina Hart has held on to her economic portfolio and was appointed minister for economy, science and transport – meaning she will now be responsible for the results of the M4 consultation.

Huw Lewis, who is married to Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle, was moved from heritage regeneration and housing to be minister for communities and tackling poverty.

Leighton Andrews kept his role as education minister, while Jane Hutt remains minister for finance.

Gwenda Thomas was kept as deputy minister for social services while Jeff Cuthbert will continue to serve as deputy minister for skills and technology.

Comments(19)

Ian MacKinlay says...
3:09am Fri 15 Mar 13

From the Welsh Government website, announcing the shuffle:

" . . . former Deputy Minister for Agriculture Alun Davies has been appointed Minister for Natural Resources and Food, while Former Environment Minister John Griffiths becomes Minister for Culture and Sport".

And, from above:

Alun Davies, AM for Blaenau Gwent, has been promoted from deputy minister for agriculture to be minister for natural resources and food.

"He takes on elements of the previous job of Newport East AM John Griffiths, who moves from environment minister to minister for culture and sport".

So, it looks as though Wales no longer has a so-called "Environment Minister" in plain simple language".

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Ian MacKinlay says...
3:40am Fri 15 Mar 13

Her is the new cabinet (from the Welsh Government website. I can't see 'Environment Minister' mentioned).

Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM
First Minister of Wales

Edwina Hart AM OStJ MBE
Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

Prof Mark Drakeford AM
Minister for Health

Huw Lewis AM
Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty

Lesley Griffiths AM
Minister for Local Government (& Government Business)

Jane Hutt AM
Minister for Finance

John Griffiths AM
Minister for Culture and Sport

Leighton Andrews AM
Minister for Education

Carl Sargeant AM
Minister for Housing and Regeneration

Alun Davies AM
Minister for Natural Resources and Food

Deputy Ministers

Gwenda Thomas AM
Deputy Minister for Social Services

Jeff Cuthbert AM
Deputy Minister for Skills & Technology

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scraptheWAG says...
6:58am Fri 15 Mar 13

what alot on non - jobs

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Llanmartinangel says...
8:03am Fri 15 Mar 13

The deck chairs on the Titanic have been rearranged. Wonder what will happen now.

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Mr Angry says...
9:39am Fri 15 Mar 13

Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales.

If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.

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Mervyn James says...
9:40am Fri 15 Mar 13

Good they got rid of Leslie Griffiths, no-one could get through to her at all. But as we all know, it is shifting goalposts, in health terms, no-one knows what is going on, or what is going to happen, but, we better ensure there ARE enough lifeboats !!!

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Llanmartinangel says...
10:22am Fri 15 Mar 13

Mr Angry wrote:
Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales.

If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.
And Wales really prospered under 13 years of Labour rule. At least they didn't discriminate though, they bankrupted the entire country at the same time.

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whatintheworld says...
11:38am Fri 15 Mar 13

Llanmartinangel wrote:
Mr Angry wrote: Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales. If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.
And Wales really prospered under 13 years of Labour rule. At least they didn't discriminate though, they bankrupted the entire country at the same time.
Wales has been discriminated against though, we receive an un-proportional amount of funding.


While it costs us, it's better to have WAG there to fight for Wales. The alternative is to rely on ministers in Westminster to uphold our interests.

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whatintheworld says...
11:41am Fri 15 Mar 13

Regarding whats happened to the Environment minister - My understanding is that John Giffiths' old role has been split amongst others.

While it means there is no minister whose job it is to look specifically at environment, the move reflects WAG's desire to put sustainability and the environment at the fore-front of every department.

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Llanmartinangel says...
11:54am Fri 15 Mar 13

whatintheworld wrote:
Llanmartinangel wrote:
Mr Angry wrote: Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales. If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.
And Wales really prospered under 13 years of Labour rule. At least they didn't discriminate though, they bankrupted the entire country at the same time.
Wales has been discriminated against though, we receive an un-proportional amount of funding.


While it costs us, it's better to have WAG there to fight for Wales. The alternative is to rely on ministers in Westminster to uphold our interests.
And meanwhile, this 'committee' advocating for Wales prioritises an airport where yet another airline has just walked over the road access improvements people actually want or the Health service it needs. Whatever you think of Hague he isn't THAT stupid.

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Mr Angry says...
12:01pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Llanmartinangel wrote:
whatintheworld wrote:
Llanmartinangel wrote:
Mr Angry wrote: Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales. If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.
And Wales really prospered under 13 years of Labour rule. At least they didn't discriminate though, they bankrupted the entire country at the same time.
Wales has been discriminated against though, we receive an un-proportional amount of funding. While it costs us, it's better to have WAG there to fight for Wales. The alternative is to rely on ministers in Westminster to uphold our interests.
And meanwhile, this 'committee' advocating for Wales prioritises an airport where yet another airline has just walked over the road access improvements people actually want or the Health service it needs. Whatever you think of Hague he isn't THAT stupid.
Hague realy is stupid, remember bragging of drinking 14pints a day during working for a delivery driver - explains the half wit he is.

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whatintheworld says...
12:01pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Llanmartinangel wrote:
whatintheworld wrote:
Llanmartinangel wrote:
Mr Angry wrote: Of course all the moaners forget how wonderful those Tories in London have been to Wales. If you want to blame anyone for the WAG its Redwood and Hauge who did more to further the nationalist cause than any Welsh politican.
And Wales really prospered under 13 years of Labour rule. At least they didn't discriminate though, they bankrupted the entire country at the same time.
Wales has been discriminated against though, we receive an un-proportional amount of funding. While it costs us, it's better to have WAG there to fight for Wales. The alternative is to rely on ministers in Westminster to uphold our interests.
And meanwhile, this 'committee' advocating for Wales prioritises an airport where yet another airline has just walked over the road access improvements people actually want or the Health service it needs. Whatever you think of Hague he isn't THAT stupid.
I agree that the take over of the airport is not the wisest of decisions, but I believe that had we had Hague in control of Welsh policies rather than WAG, the position we'd be in now would be a lot worse.

I'm not a massive fan of Hague, but in fairness he makes a pretty good foreign sec.!

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Mr Angry says...
12:03pm Fri 15 Mar 13

How many people in Wales actually voted for Hague ?

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Trefor says...
12:04pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Now that Carwyn has `re-designed` John Griffiths former portfolio I would like to know:- Which Minister will now be targeted, by the `Anti Badger Culling Lobby`, and, all the other animal rights groups and members of the public who oppose the soon to be announced `Killing of Badgers` and the destruction of ancient badger setts in Wales?

How will now be responsible for taking that one on the chin????

John Griffiths did a good job of moderating the issues last time around, which of those holding much of his previously held portfolio will now do so?. Could this be a `Baldrick` cunning plan by Carwyn Jones to ovoid the issue being dealt with by a `specific` individual in the Welsh Assembly and therefore divert any attention from Ministers?.

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Llanmartinangel says...
3:17pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Mr Angry wrote:
How many people in Wales actually voted for Hague ?
Not sure but given that these intellectual pygmies are spending mostly English tax payers cash I think they'd want their votes counted as well.

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gingertom says...
4:28pm Fri 15 Mar 13

They do a mediocre job in one department and instead of being removed totally they are shuffled to another to do more of the same.
None of the health ministers have been successful, I did think we were getting somewhere when brian gibbons promised in making the connections document to end health inequalities between regions and make sure patients had access to food and drink but it never materialised in reality.
This is interesting:

http://www.healthcar
ealliances.co.uk/Pub
lic/documents/Reflec
tionsOnNHSWales.pdf

These AM's have good wages for doing what exactly.

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Sarona says...
4:32pm Fri 15 Mar 13

And how many people actually voted for devolution?
Huw Lewis- Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty? maybe its a joke?

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Ian MacKinlay says...
5:49pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Mr Angry wrote:
How many people in Wales actually voted for Hague ?
None. He did not ever stand in Wales.

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Llanmartinangel says...
8:34pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Ian MacKinlay wrote:
Mr Angry wrote:
How many people in Wales actually voted for Hague ?
None. He did not ever stand in Wales.
I know he didn't was just making a point as was Mr Angry methinks.

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