Secretary of State for Wales

The secretary of state for Wales (ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

The officeholder works alongside the other Wales Office ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for Wales. The position is currently held by Jo Stevens having been appointed by Keir Starmer in July 2024.

Creation
In the first half of the 20th century, a number of politicians had supported the creation of the post of Secretary of State for Wales as a step towards home rule for Wales. A post of Minister of Welsh Affairs was created in 1951 under the home secretary and was upgraded to minister of state level in 1954.

The Labour Party proposed the creation of a Welsh Office run by a Secretary of State for Wales in their manifesto for the 1959 general election. When they came to power in 1964 this was soon put into effect.

The post of Secretary of State for Wales came into existence on 17 October 1964; the first incumbent was Jim Griffiths, MP for Llanelli. The position entailed responsibility for Wales, and expenditure on certain public services was delegated from Westminster. In April 1965 administration of Welsh affairs, which had previously been divided between a number of government departments, was united in a newly created Welsh Office with the secretary of state for Wales at its head, and the Welsh secretary became responsible for education and training, health, trade and industry, environment, transport and agriculture within Wales.

History
During the 1980s and 1990s, as the number of Conservative MPs for Welsh constituencies dwindled almost to zero, the office fell into disrepute. Nicholas Edwards, MP for Pembrokeshire, held the post for eight years. On his departure, the government ceased to look within Wales for the secretary of state, and the post was increasingly used as a way of getting junior high-fliers into the Cabinet. John Redwood in particular caused embarrassment when he publicly demonstrated his inability to sing "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", the Welsh national anthem, at a conference.

The introduction of the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government, after the devolution referendum of 1997, was the beginning of a new era. On 1 July 1999 the majority of the functions of the Welsh Office transferred to the new assembly. The Welsh Office was disbanded, but the post of Secretary of State for Wales was retained, as the head of the newly created Wales Office.

Since 1999 there have been calls for the office of Welsh secretary to be scrapped or merged with the posts of Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to reflect the lesser powers of the role since devolution. Those calling for a Secretary of State for the Union include Robert Hazell, in a department into which Rodney Brazier has suggested adding a Minister of State for England with responsibility for English local government.

In June 2024, Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, called for the position's abolishment describing it as "outdated", that it "entrench[es]" a power imbalance, and its powers should be devolved. The party's representatives accused the shadow Labour holder, Jo Stevens, of having a "contemptuous attitude towards devolution" based on Stevens' comments relating to High Speed 2 and justice and policing. The Conservative incumbent David TC Davies expressed his surprise, stating that the "so-called 'party of Wales' is now wanting to silence Wales' voice [in the cabinet]". In Plaid Cymru's motion on 26 June, calling for the post's abolishment, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, supported the motion after being confused it was a Tory amendment being voted on.

Ministers and secretaries of state
Colour key

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=10 |

Ministers of Welsh Affairs (1951–1964)
! colspan=3 | Secretary of State ! colspan=2 | Term of office ! Political party !Cabinet ! colspan=2 | Prime Minister
 * - style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * David Maxwell Fyfe, Nuremberg, 1946 (Art. IWM ART LD 5863).jpg
 * width=200 | David Maxwell Fyfe MP for Liverpool West Derby (also Home Secretary)
 * 28 October 1951
 * 18 October 1954
 * Conservative
 * Churchill III
 * rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=2 | Winston Churchill

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Gwilym Lloyd George cropped.png
 * rowspan=2 | Gwilym Lloyd George MP for Newcastle North (also Home Secretary)
 * rowspan=2 | 18 October 1954
 * rowspan=2 | 13 January 1957
 * rowspan=2 | Liberal & Conservative
 * Churchill III
 * Eden
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Anthony Eden
 * Anthony Eden

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Blank.png
 * rowspan=2 | Henry Brooke MP for Hampstead (also Min. of Housing & Local Govt.)
 * rowspan=2 | 13 January 1957
 * rowspan=2 | 9 October 1961
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Macmillan I
 * rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=4 |Harold Macmillan
 * Macmillan II
 * Macmillan II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * Charles Hill MP for Luton (also Min. of Housing & Local Govt.)
 * 9 October 1961
 * 13 July 1962
 * National Liberal & Conservative
 * Macmillan II

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" | ! colspan=10 |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Blank.png
 * rowspan=2 |Keith Joseph MP for Leeds North East (also Min. of Housing & Local Govt.)
 * rowspan=2 |13 July 1962
 * rowspan=2 |16 October 1964
 * rowspan=2 |Conservative
 * Macmillan II
 * Douglas-Home
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Alec Douglas-Home
 * Alec Douglas-Home

Secretaries of State for Wales (1964–present)
! colspan=3 | Secretary of State ! colspan=2 |Term of office ! Political party !Cabinet ! colspan=2 |Prime Minister
 * - style="height:1em"

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * Jim Griffiths MP for Llanelli
 * 18 October 1964
 * 5 April 1966
 * Labour
 * Wilson I
 * rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=3 |Harold Wilson

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * Cledwyn Hughes MP for Anglesey
 * 5 April 1966
 * 5 April 1968
 * Labour
 * Wilson II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * George Thomas MP for Cardiff West
 * 5 April 1968
 * 20 June 1970
 * Labour
 * Wilson II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * Peter Thomas MP for Hendon South
 * 20 June 1970
 * 5 March 1974
 * Conservative
 * Heath
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Edward Heath

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 |Official portrait of Lord Morris of Aberavon crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 |John Morris MP for Aberavon
 * rowspan=2 |5 March 1974
 * rowspan=2 |4 May 1979
 * rowspan=2 |Labour
 * Wilson III
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Harold Wilson
 * Callaghan
 * style="background-color:" |
 * James Callaghan
 * James Callaghan

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Blank.png
 * rowspan=2 | Nicholas Edwards MP for Pembrokeshire
 * rowspan=2 | 4 May 1979
 * rowspan=2 | 13 June 1987
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Thatcher I
 * rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=3 |Margaret Thatcher
 * Thatcher II
 * Thatcher II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Blank.png
 * Peter Walker MP for Worcester
 * 13 June 1987
 * 4 May 1990
 * Conservative
 * Thatcher III

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Lord Hunt of Wirral, 2023.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | David Hunt MP for Wirral West
 * rowspan=2 | 4 May 1990
 * rowspan=2 | 27 May 1993
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Major I
 * rowspan=5 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=5 |John Major
 * Major II
 * Major II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon John Redwood MP crop 2.jpg
 * John Redwood MP for Wokingham
 * 27 May 1993
 * 26 June 1995
 * Conservative
 * Major II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Lord Hunt of Wirral, 2023.jpg
 * David Hunt MP for Wirral West (acting)
 * 26 June 1995
 * 5 July 1995
 * Conservative
 * Major II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * William Hague 2010 cropped.jpg
 * William Hague MP for Richmond (Yorks)
 * 5 July 1995
 * 2 May 1997
 * Conservative
 * Major II

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Rondavies1998 (cropped).jpg
 * Ron Davies MP for Caerphilly
 * 2 May 1997
 * 27 October 1998
 * Labour
 * Blair I
 * rowspan=6 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=6 |Tony Blair

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Alun Michael election infobox.png
 * Alun Michael MP for Cardiff South and Penarth
 * 27 October 1998
 * 28 July 1999
 * Labour
 * Blair I

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Official portrait of Lord Murphy of Torfaen 2020 crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | Paul Murphy MP for Torfaen
 * rowspan=2 | 28 July 1999
 * rowspan=2 | 24 October 2002
 * rowspan=2 | Labour
 * Blair I
 * Blair II
 * Blair II

! rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=3 |Official portrait of Lord Hain crop 2, 2019.jpg
 * rowspan=3 |Peter Hain MP for Neath (also Ldr. of the Commons 2003–05 Northern Ireland Sec. 2005–07 Work & Pensions Sec. 2007–08)
 * rowspan=3 |24 October 2002
 * rowspan=3 |24 January 2008
 * rowspan=3 |Labour
 * Blair II
 * Blair III
 * Brown
 * rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=3 |Gordon Brown
 * rowspan=3 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=3 |Gordon Brown

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Official portrait of Lord Murphy of Torfaen 2020 crop 2.jpg
 * Paul Murphy MP for Torfaen
 * 24 January 2008
 * 5 June 2009
 * Labour
 * Brown

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Official portrait of Lord Hain crop 2, 2019.jpg
 * Peter Hain MP for Neath
 * 5 June 2009
 * 11 May 2010
 * Labour
 * Brown

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan MP crop 2.jpg
 * Cheryl Gillan MP for Chesham and Amersham
 * 11 May 2010
 * 4 September 2012
 * Conservative
 * Coalition
 * rowspan=5 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=5 | David Cameron

! style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * Official portrait of Rt Hon David Jones MP crop 2.jpg
 * David Jones MP for Clwyd West
 * 4 September 2012
 * 14 July 2014
 * Conservative
 * Coalition

! rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 | Official portrait of Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | Stephen Crabb MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire
 * rowspan=2 | 15 July 2014
 * rowspan=2 | 19 March 2016
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Coalition
 * Cameron II
 * Cameron II

! rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=4 |Official portrait of Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=4 |Alun Cairns MP for Vale of Glamorgan
 * rowspan=4 |19 March 2016
 * rowspan=4 |6 November 2019
 * rowspan=4 |Conservative
 * Cameron II
 * May I
 * rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=2 | Theresa May
 * May II
 * Johnson I
 * rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=4 |Boris Johnson
 * Johnson I
 * rowspan=4 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=4 |Boris Johnson


 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=2 | Official portrait of Simon Hart crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | Simon Hart MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
 * rowspan=2 | 16 December 2019
 * rowspan=2 | 6 July 2022
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Johnson I
 * Johnson II
 * Johnson II


 * - style="height:1em"
 * rowspan=2 style="background-color:" |
 * rowspan=2 | Official portrait of Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP crop 2.jpg
 * rowspan=2 | Robert Buckland MP for South Swindon
 * rowspan=2 | 7 July 2022
 * rowspan=2 | 25 October 2022
 * rowspan=2 | Conservative
 * Johnson II
 * Truss
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Liz Truss
 * Liz Truss


 * - style="height:1em"
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Official portrait of David T C Davies MP crop 2.jpg
 * David TC Davies MP for Monmouth
 * 25 October 2022
 * 5 July 2024
 * Conservative
 * Sunak
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Rishi Sunak


 * - style="height:1em"
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Official portrait of Jo Stevens MP crop 2.jpg
 * Jo Stevens MP for Cardiff East
 * 5 July 2024
 * Incumbent
 * Labour
 * Starmer
 * style="background-color:" |
 * Keir Starmer
 * }