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 National Assembly for Wales Liaison
  • Constitution, including the Government of Wales Act
  • Silk Commission
  • Economy
  • Infrastructure
  • Business
  • Inward investment
  • Welfare
  • Public appointments
  • Foreign affairs, including the EU
  • Royal matters

Current role holder: The Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP

Stephen Crabb MP was appointed Secretary of State for Wales on 15 July 2014. He was elected as Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire in 2005.

Education

Stephen attended Tasker Milward School in Pembrokeshire. He has degrees from Bristol University (BSc) and London Business School (MBA).

Political career

  • elected as MP for his home constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire 2005 (re-elected May 2010)
  • appointed to the front bench as Opposition Whip 2009
  • appointed as an Assistant Government Whip 2011
  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office 2012 to 2014

He has served on the Welsh Affairs, International Development and Treasury Select Committees.

Stephen is the leader of Project Umubano, the Conservative Party’s social action project in Rwanda and Sierra Leone.

Career outside politics

Before being elected to Parliament, Stephen worked as a marketing consultant. He has also worked for the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Stephen was Chairman of Governors of a large inner city primary school between 1998 and 2002 and has close links with a number of charities which help young people overcome challenges. His is also Patron of Pembrokeshire Mencap.

Personal life

Stephen grew up in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He is is married to Béatrice and has 2 young children.

Stephen enjoys a wide range of sports including rugby, mountain biking and tennis. He has run the London Marathon 3 times and enjoys cooking, playing guitar and learning French.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

  1. The Rt Hon David Jones MP

    • 2012 to 2014

  2. The Rt Hon Cheryl Gillan MP

    • 2010 to 2012

Policies

  1. Maintaining and strengthening the Welsh devolution settlement

    • 26 March 2013

  2. Helping the economy in Wales to grow

    • 26 March 2013
View all policies

Announcements

Get updates to this list email feed

Copy and paste this URL in to your feed reader

  1. Secretary of State for Wales celebrates The Prince’s Countryside Fund

    • 14 July 2014
    • Press release

  2. Llangollen Eisteddfod puts Welsh culture in the global spotlight

    • 11 July 2014
    • Press release

  3. Welsh Secretary discusses Nato Summit with business leaders at GE Aviation

    • 8 July 2014
    • Press release

  4. Secretary of State for Wales unveils new portrait of Duke of Cambridge

    • 3 July 2014
    • Press release

  5. Improving Welsh language provision on the UK government website

    • 3 July 2014
    • Press release

  6. Radical reform needed to Welsh planning system

    • 30 June 2014
    • Press release

  7. Welsh Secretary “deeply disappointed” to have to cancel debate on the future electoral arrangement for Wales

    • 27 June 2012
    • Press release

  8. Secretary of State for Wales to the National Assembly for Wales

    • 23 May 2012
    • Speech

  9. Green paper on future electoral arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales

    • 21 May 2012
    • Press release

  10. Secretary of State for Wales’ addresses British Business Association in Cambodia

    • 17 May 2012
    • Speech
View all announcements