Ministerial role

Secretary of State for Wales

Contents

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the Wales Office.

Responsibilities include:

  • Welsh Government and Assembly Liaison
  • Constitutional and Electoral issues
  • Economy, Business & Inward Investment
  • Exiting the EU
  • Infrastructure
  • Welsh budget
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Steel
  • Swansea City Deal
  • Public Appointments
  • Royal Matters
  • Environment & Rural Affairs
  • Welsh Language

Current role holder: The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP

Alun Cairns was appointed Secretary of State for Wales on 19 March 2016. He was elected as Conservative MP for the Vale of Glamorgan in May 2010 (re-elected 2015).

Education

Alun attended the University of Wales and has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Political career

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales and a Government Whip July 2014 to March 2016
  • appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office 2014
  • elected as MP for the Vale of Glamorgan 2010
  • elected as Assembly Member to the Welsh Assembly 1999

Career outside politics

Before being elected to the Welsh Assembly, Alun worked for Lloyds Bank for more than 10 years, mostly in business development, with his last role in financial services compliance.

Personal life

Alun lives in his constituency with his wife Emma, who runs her own small business, and their son Henri. His father was a welder in British Steel and his mother was a shop-keeper.

He enjoys running and has completed 4 London Marathons in aid of local charities and was the fastest MP to complete the 26 mile course in 2015.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb

    • 2014 to 2016

  2. The Rt Hon David Jones MP

    • 2012 to 2014

  3. The Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan

    • 2010 to 2012

Announcements

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  1. Welsh language programming set to benefit from a multi-million pound boost from the UK Government

    • Press release

  2. Secretary of State celebrates Welsh businesses as the “great engines of growth”

    • Press release

  3. Fair funding for farmers across all parts of the UK

    • Press release

  4. Severn Crossings to go toll-free on 17 December 2018

    • Press release

  5. Swansea receives £36 million UK government funding for its clean energy tech breakthrough

    • News story

  6. Seven Welsh high streets shortlisted for Great British High Street awards

    • Press release

  7. Welsh Secretary discusses Brexit with EU Expert Panel

    • News story

  8. UK Government announces £23.5m to fund teachers’ pay increases in Wales

    • Press release

  9. Landmark Agriculture Bill to deliver a green Brexit

    • Press release

  10. Welsh Secretary marks Aston Martin’s investment in zero emission vehicle manufacturing at St Athan site

    • News story
View all announcements