| Post: | Cabinet Secretary for the Economy |
| Body: | Wales |
| Insigniacaption: | Insignia of the Welsh Government |
| Incumbent: | Ken Skates MS |
| Department: | Welsh Government |
| Style: | Welsh Minister |
| Status: | Cabinet Minister |
| Abbreviation: | Economy Secretary |
| Reports To: | the Senedd and the First Minister of Wales |
| Seat: | Cardiff |
| Nominator: | First Minister of Wales |
| Appointer: | The Crown |
| Termlength: | Five years |
| Termlength Qualified: | Subject to elections to the Senedd which take place every five years |
| Formation: | 12 May 1999 |
| First: | Rhodri Morgan AM |
| Salary: | £105,701 per annum[1] |
The Cabinet Secretary for the Economy (Welsh: Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi) is a member of the Cabinet in the Welsh Government. The current officeholder is Ken Skates since July 2024. The economy portfolio was added to Skates’ existing North Wales and Transport portfolios, by First Minister Vaughan Gething in July 2024, following the resignation of the previous officeholder Jeremy Miles, in the lead up to Gething announcing his own resignation.[2] New First Minister Eluned Morgan kept the role for Skates in her interim cabinet after she became First Minister.
The position was titled Minister for the Economy and Transport from 2007 to 2011. The Minister had responsibility for the Department for the Economy and Transport, which combined two devolved functions of the Welsh Government: Business and Economy, and Transport. The department was created in June 2007, as successor to the Department for Enterprise Innovation and Networks, following the National Assembly for Wales elections in May 2007.[3]
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones AM was appointed to the post in July 2007, succeeding Dr Brian Gibbons AM, who had been Minister since the previous month,[4] and held the position until 13 May 2011. The role was renamed Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science during Edwina Hart's tenure in office from 2011 to 2016.[5] The post adopted the previous title of Economy Minister under Hart's successor, Ken Skates.
| Name | Picture | Entered office | Left office | Other offices held | Political party | Government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary for Economic Development and European Affairs (1999–2000) | ||||||||
| Rhodri Morgan AM | 12 May 1999 | 9 February 2000 | Labour | Michael government | ||||
| Secretary for Economic Development (2000) | ||||||||
| Rhodri Morgan AM | 9 February 2000 | 16 October 2000 | First Secretary of Wales (acting until 15 February) | Labour | Interim Morgan Government | |||
| Minister for Economic Development (2000–2003) | ||||||||
| Michael German AM | 5 October 2000 | 1 May 2003 | Deputy First Minister of Wales | Liberal Democrats | First Morgan government | |||
| Minister for Economic Development and Transport (2003–2007) | ||||||||
| Andrew Davies AM | 1 May 2003 | 3 May 2007 | Labour | Second Morgan government | ||||
| Minister for the Economy and Transport (2007–2011) | ||||||||
| Brian Gibbons AM | 26 May 2007 | 19 July 2007 | Labour | Third Morgan government | ||||
| Ieuan Wyn Jones AM | 19 July 2007 | 11 May 2011 | Deputy First Minister of Wales | Plaid Cymru | Fourth Morgan government | |||
| First Jones government | ||||||||
| Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology & Science (2011–2016) | ||||||||
| Edwina Hart AM | 11 May 2011 | 19 May 2016 | Labour | Second Jones government | ||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (2016–17) Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport (2017–18) Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales (2018-21) | ||||||||
| Ken Skates MS | 19 May 2016 | 13 May 2021 | Labour | Third Jones government First Drakeford government | ||||
| Minister for the Economy (2021–2024) | ||||||||
| Vaughan Gething MS | 13 May 2021 | 20 March 2024 | Labour | Second Drakeford Government | ||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language | ||||||||
| Jeremy Miles MS | 21 March 2024[6] | 16 July 2024[7] | Labour | Gething government | ||||
| Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport and North Wales | ||||||||
| Ken Skates MS | 17 July 2024[8] | Incumbent | Cabinet Secretary for Transport Cabinet Secretary for North Wales | Labour | Gething government Eluned Morgan government | |||
See also: Politics of Wales and National Assembly for Wales election, 2007.
Following the "yes" vote in the Welsh referendum of 1997, certain Westminster government executive and legislative powers were devolved to the National Assembly for Wales by the Government of Wales Act 1998. This included the power to determine how their budgets are spent and administered. These powers were increased by the Government of Wales Act 2006. Among those powers are Business and Economy, and Transport, for which the Minister for the Economy and Transport had responsibility within the Welsh Assembly Government.
The department's funding was allocated by the Welsh Assembly Government, following agreement of its annual budget.[9]
The Department for Economy and Transport's stated objectives were to:[3]
See also: Economy of Wales. The Minister was responsible for supporting businesses in Wales, including growth and development, inward investment, provision of premises, commercial and industrial environmental improvements, and exports.[4]
Policy for the allocation of European Union Structural Funds in Wales, and its administration, was in the remit of the Minister.[3] [9]
See also: Transport in Wales.
The Minister was responsible for transport policy in specific areas. The Minister's main priorities were: development of an integrated transport system in Wales; construction, improvement and maintenance of trunk roads and motorways in Wales; Transport for Wales passenger rail services; road safety strategies including speed limits, pedestrian crossings and on-street parking.[3] The Minister also oversaw the provision of other public transport services, such as buses.[9]
Following the National Assembly for Wales elections on 3 May 2007, the Welsh Assembly Government restructured its departments. The former Department for Enterprise Innovation and Networks was absorbed into the new Department for the Economy and Transport on 1 June 2007.[3] Dr Brian Gibbons was appointed to the post of Minister for the Economy and Transport on its creation.[10]
A coalition government was formed by the Labour Party and Plaid Cymru on 7 July 2007. The resulting reshuffle of the Cabinet was announced on 19 July 2007, which saw Ieuan Wyn Jones AM (Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Ynys Môn) appointed to the posts of Deputy First Minister for Wales and Minister for the Economy and Transport.[11]
James Price, as acting Director General, Economy and Transport was the senior civil servant responsible for the department.
After the 2011 Welsh general election, the department was abolished and replaced with the department of Business, Enterprise and Technology.