Welsh Office
Encyclopedia
The Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom
with responsibilities for Wales
. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales
, a post which had been created in October 1964. It was disbanded on 1 July 1999 when most of its powers were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales
.
The Welsh Office took over the responsibilities related to housing, local government and town and country planning, etc. for Wales which had previously the responsibilities of several other government departments. Its responsibilities included Monmouthshire
, which for some purposes had earlier been considered by some to lie within England.
and the Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889, began to be introduced in the late 19th century. Responsibility for Welsh education was given to the Welsh Department of the Board of Education in 1907, and the following year the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire was established. The Welsh Board of Health was formed in 1919, and the Welsh Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1922. A Boundary Commission for Wales was set up under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944.
A Council for Wales and Monmouthshire was established in 1949 to monitor the effects of government policy. Government departments which had established Welsh offices or units by 1951 included the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport, and the Forestry Commission, and 1951 the office of Minister for Welsh Affairs was created. This post was vested in the Home Secretary until 1957, when it was transferred to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, assisted by a Minister of State.
formally dissolved the legislation which provided that references made in Parliament to England automatically included Wales, under the Wales and Berwick Act of 1746.
By 1969, the role of the Welsh Office had expanded to also cover responsibilities for highway construction and maintenance, tourism, water, forestry, common land, the Historic Buildings Council for Wales, and the Countryside Commission in Wales. That year it was also given responsibility for health and welfare services, and for the use of the Welsh language in the registration of births, marriages and deaths. During the 1970s, changes in central government led to the delegation of additional functions. Most responsibilities for primary and secondary education in Wales, were transferred in 1970; and most of the child care responsibilities of the Home Office were passed to the Welsh Office in 1971. Responsibilities relating to the promotion of industry in Wales were passed to the Welsh Office in 1974-75; and in 1978 it assumed control of further education functions, and the training and supply of teachers for primary and secondary education. In 1978 it also gained sole responsibility for agriculture and fishery matters in Wales.
By 1998, the Welsh Office comprised the following departments:
Most of these had headquarters in Cardiff, with offices in London to help co-ordinate policies with Whitehall departments, and to provide secretariat and support services for Ministers and the Permanent Secretary.
on Welsh devolution
in 1997, the Welsh Office was formally disbanded on 1 July 1999 and the majority of its powers were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales
. The cabinet position of Secretary of State for Wales
was retained at the head of a newly formed Wales Office
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with responsibilities for Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
, a post which had been created in October 1964. It was disbanded on 1 July 1999 when most of its powers were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
.
The Welsh Office took over the responsibilities related to housing, local government and town and country planning, etc. for Wales which had previously the responsibilities of several other government departments. Its responsibilities included Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, which for some purposes had earlier been considered by some to lie within England.
Precursors
Wales had been incorporated into the English legal system through the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. Legislation specific to Wales, such as the Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881
The Sunday Closing Act 1881 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It required the closure of all public houses in Wales on Sundays. The Act had considerable political importance as a formal acknowledgement of the separate character of Wales, setting a precedent for future...
and the Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889, began to be introduced in the late 19th century. Responsibility for Welsh education was given to the Welsh Department of the Board of Education in 1907, and the following year the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire was established. The Welsh Board of Health was formed in 1919, and the Welsh Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1922. A Boundary Commission for Wales was set up under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1944.
A Council for Wales and Monmouthshire was established in 1949 to monitor the effects of government policy. Government departments which had established Welsh offices or units by 1951 included the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, the Ministry of Transport, and the Forestry Commission, and 1951 the office of Minister for Welsh Affairs was created. This post was vested in the Home Secretary until 1957, when it was transferred to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, assisted by a Minister of State.
Establishment and development
The post of Minister for Welsh Affairs was replaced in 1964 by the office of Secretary of State for Wales, which was given responsibility for the new Welsh Office in 1965. The Welsh Office was created to execute government policy in Wales. It took over, from other departments, functions relating to economic planning, housing, local government, sewerage, environmental health, town and country planning, Welsh national parks, historic buildings, and cultural activities. The Welsh Language Act 1967Welsh Language Act 1967
The Welsh Language Act 1967 , is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which gave some rights to use the Welsh language in legal proceedings in Wales and gave the relevant Minister the right to authorise the production of a Welsh version of any documents required or allowed by the Act...
formally dissolved the legislation which provided that references made in Parliament to England automatically included Wales, under the Wales and Berwick Act of 1746.
By 1969, the role of the Welsh Office had expanded to also cover responsibilities for highway construction and maintenance, tourism, water, forestry, common land, the Historic Buildings Council for Wales, and the Countryside Commission in Wales. That year it was also given responsibility for health and welfare services, and for the use of the Welsh language in the registration of births, marriages and deaths. During the 1970s, changes in central government led to the delegation of additional functions. Most responsibilities for primary and secondary education in Wales, were transferred in 1970; and most of the child care responsibilities of the Home Office were passed to the Welsh Office in 1971. Responsibilities relating to the promotion of industry in Wales were passed to the Welsh Office in 1974-75; and in 1978 it assumed control of further education functions, and the training and supply of teachers for primary and secondary education. In 1978 it also gained sole responsibility for agriculture and fishery matters in Wales.
By 1998, the Welsh Office comprised the following departments:
- Agriculture
- Transport Planning and Environment Group
- Welsh Office Health Department
- Economic Development Group
- Establishments Group
- Finance Group
- Education Department
- Health Professionals Group
- Industry and Training Group
- Legal Group
- Local Government Group.
Most of these had headquarters in Cardiff, with offices in London to help co-ordinate policies with Whitehall departments, and to provide secretariat and support services for Ministers and the Permanent Secretary.
Establishment of the National Assembly
Following the referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on Welsh devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
in 1997, the Welsh Office was formally disbanded on 1 July 1999 and the majority of its powers were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
. The cabinet position of Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
was retained at the head of a newly formed Wales Office
Wales Office
The Wales Office / Swyddfa Cymru is a United Kingdom government department. It replaced the former Welsh Office, which had extensive responsibility for governing Wales prior to Welsh devolution in 1999....
.
Secretary of State for Wales
- See List of Secretaries of State for Wales
Permanent Secretary
- Sir Goronwy DanielGoronwy DanielSir Goronwy Hopkin Daniel KCVO was a Welsh academic and civil servant.Born at Ystradgynlais, Powys, Wales, Daniel was educated at University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he gained a first-class degree, and obtained a D.Phil. from Jesus College, Oxford...
KCVO (1964 to 1969) - Sir Idwal PughIdwal PughSir Idwal Vaughan Pugh CB KCB was a civil servant who was Permanent Secretary at the Welsh Office and distinguished himself as Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, Scotland and Wales .-Early life and war service:Pugh was born in 1918 in Blaenau...
KCB (1969 to 1971) - Sir Hywel Evans KCB (1971 to 1980)
- Sir Trevor Hughes KCB (1980 to 1985)
- Sir Richard Lloyd KCB (1985 to 1993)
- Sir Michael ScholarMichael ScholarSir Michael Charles Scholar KCB is President of St John's College, Oxford. He was educated at St Olave's Grammar School, St John's College, Cambridge...
KCB (1993 to 1996) - Rachel LomaxRachel LomaxJanis Rachel Lomax in Swansea Wales is a British economist and former government official who served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, sitting on the Monetary Policy Committee from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2008.-Early life:...
(1996 to 1999) - Sir Jon ShortridgeJon ShortridgeSir Jon Shortridge KCB is a British Civil Servant. He served as the Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Office in March 1999 and of the National Assembly for Wales on its creation in May 1999. He became Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Assembly Government on its establishment as a separate...
KCB (May to July 1999)