Rebecca Evans is the new minister for housing and regeneration in a reshuffle of personnel and portfolios announced by First Minister Carwyn Jones.
The Gower AM was previously minister for social services and public health and will be deputy to the new cabinet secretary for local government and public services, Alun Davies.
Responsibility for local government moves over from Mark Drakeford, who remains cabinet secretary for finance.
Carl Sargeant, formerly cabinet secretary for communities and children, left the government following allegations about his personal conduct. He issued the following personal statement on Twitter:
Personal Statement pic.twitter.com/6VEOtGtj2Z
— Carl Sargeant (@carlsargeant1) November 3, 2017
A Welsh Labour spokesman told the BBC: ‘Carl Sargeant has been suspended from party membership, and therefore the Labour whip in the National Assembly for Wales, while an investigation into allegations received takes place.’
Other new appointments includes independent AM Dafydd Elis Thomas as minister for culture, Huw Irranca-Davies as minister for children and social care and Eluned Morgan as minister for Welsh language and lifelong learning.
Julie James joins the government as leader of the House and Chief Whip, with responsibility for digital infrastructure and equalities.
Jeremy Miles will be nominated for the role of Counsel General, the Welsh Government’s chief legal advisor.
The full list of portfolios and responsibilities is as follows:
- First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Carwyn Jones
- Counsel General Designate, Jeremy Miles
- Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Alun Davies
- Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Mark Drakeford
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething
- Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths
- Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates
- Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams
- Leader of the House and Chief Whip, Julie James
- Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Deputy to Ken Skates)
- Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Rebecca Evans (Deputy to Alun Davies)
- Minister for Environment, Hannah Blythyn (Deputy to Lesley Griffiths)
- Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, Eluned Morgan (Deputy to Kirsty Williams)
- Minister for Children and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies (Deputy to Vaughan Gething).
Responding to Friday’s announcement, Stuart Ropke, Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru said:
‘We welcome the appointment of Rebecca Evans as the new Minister for Housing and Regeneration in today’s Welsh Government cabinet reshuffle.
‘Welsh Government has placed housing at the centre of its national strategy – Prosperity for All – and committed to build 20,000 affordable homes in this Assembly, and the creation of a new role with sole responsibility for housing and regeneration is welcome. The housing pact we signed last year with Welsh Government put housing associations at the heart of tackling the housing crisis in Wales, and the sector looks forward to continuing this work in partnership with the new Minister.
‘With important legislation currently working its way through the Assembly on the Right to Buy and the issue of ONS reclassification, we look forward to constructive and collaborative dialogue to create an environment in which housing associations can thrive.’