Welsh Assembly Government
| Welsh Government | |
|---|---|
| Welsh: Llywodraeth Cymru | |
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Established | 12 May 1999 |
| Polity | Wales |
| Leader | First Minister |
| Appointed by | Monarch |
| Main organ | Welsh Cabinet |
| Responsible to | National Assembly for Wales |
| Annual budget | £15.3 billion (2015/16) |
| Headquarters |
Crown Buildings Cardiff |
| Website | http://www.gov.wales |
The Welsh Government (Welsh: Llywodraeth Cymru) is the executive of the devolved National Assembly for Wales. The government was established in 1999 as the Welsh Assembly Government by the Government of Wales Act 1998, which created a devolved administration for Wales in line with the result of the 1997 referendum on Welsh devolution. The government consists of cabinet secretaries, who attend cabinet meetings, and ministers who do not, and also of a counsel general. It is led by the first minister, usually the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly, who selects cabinet secretaries, ministers and deputy ministers with the approval of the assembly. The government is responsible for tabling policy in devolved areas for consideration by the assembly and implementing policy that has been approved by it.
As initially established, the Welsh Government had no independent executive powers in law (unlike, for instance, the Scottish ministers and British government ministers). The National Assembly was established as a body corporate by the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the executive, as a committee of the assembly, only had those powers that the assembly as a whole voted to delegate to ministers.
The Government of Wales Act 2006 formally separated the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government, giving Welsh ministers independent executive authority, this taking effect after the May 2007 elections. Following separation, the Welsh ministers exercise functions in their own right. Further transfers of executive functions from the British government can be made directly to the Welsh ministers (with their consent) by an Order in Council approved by the British parliament.
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