| Agency Name: | Wales Office |
| Native Name: | Welsh: Swyddfa Cymru |
| Agency Type: | Ministerial department |
| Type: | Department |
| Picture Caption: | Gwydyr House in Whitehall, London |
| Formed: | 1 July 1999[1] [2] |
| Preceding1: | Welsh Office |
| Jurisdiction: | Wales |
| Headquarters: |
|
| Employees: | 52 (2016–2017) |
| Budget: | ~£4.7 million for 2016–2017 |
| Minister Type: | Secretary of State |
| Minister1 Name: | Jo Stevens MP |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Secretary of State for Wales |
| Parent Department: | Ministry of Justice |
The Wales Office (Welsh: Swyddfa Cymru), previously the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (Welsh: Swyddfa Ysgrifennydd Gwladol Cymru) from 2017 to 2024, is a department of His Majesty's Government. It replaced the former Welsh Office, which had extensive responsibility for governing Wales prior to Welsh devolution in 1999.
In the past, the Office was called "Wales's voice in Westminster and Westminster's voice in Wales". However, it is significantly less powerful since the Government of Wales Act 2006: it is primarily responsible for carrying out the few functions remaining with the Secretary of State for Wales that have not been transferred already to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament); and for securing funds for Wales as part of the annual budgetary settlement.[3]
The Secretary of State for Wales has overall responsibility for the office, but it is located administratively within the Ministry of Justice (until 2007, the Department for Constitutional Affairs).
The ministers in the Wales Office are as follows, with cabinet members in bold:[4] [5]
| Minister | Portrait | Office | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jo Stevens | Secretary of State for Wales | Overall responsibility; Welsh Government and Senedd Liaison; Foreign Affairs; Defence. | ||
| Nia Griffith | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales | Supporting the Secretary of State in their duties |
Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales does not have its own Law Officers of the Crown; it is part of the England and Wales legal jurisdiction. The Attorney General for England and Wales therefore advises the United Kingdom Government on its law.[6] His deputy is the Solicitor General for England and Wales.
Following the 'yes' vote in the 2011 referendum on giving the Assembly direct law-making powers, some politicians in Wales, particularly from Plaid Cymru, have called for the abolition of the Wales Office.[7] Lord Elis-Thomas, Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, said:
However, Lord Elis-Thomas was accused of following a "separatist agenda" by the Conservative Cheryl Gillan, then Secretary of State for Wales. She was supported by her Labour predecessor Peter Hain, who declared that Wales "still needs a voice around the Cabinet in Westminster".