3. Statement by the First Minister: Cabinet Appointments

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 19 May 2021.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 2:03, 19 May 2021

First Minister, like others, I want to welcome the re-election of the Labour Government and also the reappointment of yourself as First Minister and the team of Ministers that you have assembled to drive Wales forward over the next four years or so. My question this afternoon is on how that will happen in policy terms and about the mechanics of Government rather than the appointments of Government. You will remember that I chaired the Valleys taskforce in the last Senedd, and prior to that we'd had structures that had enabled different policy areas and Ministers to work together to deliver policy in the Valleys region. I'm particularly concerned, as you would expect, about how we maximise the value of the dualling of the A465 and how we ensure that the Heads of the Valleys remain a focus of policy. So, I'd be grateful, First Minister, if you could outline your thinking on this at the moment. I very much welcome the tone of your statement this afternoon in terms of working together, collaboratively working and reaching out in order to bring people together, and I hope that, in not just assembling your Government but then as you manage this Government, we'll be able to see that approach taken to delivering policy in some of the poorest parts of this country.