Neath AM, Gwenda Thomas, was today appointed Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services in the Welsh Government.
Mrs Thomas said: “I feel deeply honoured that the First Minister has appointed me to this role. As Deputy Minister for Social Services in the last Welsh Government I was proud to take the lead on many necessary reforms to Social Services in Wales. I think what we have achieved so far in this area has been excellent but clearly much remains to be done. I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to finish the work we have begun.”
In the new Welsh Government line-up the position of Deputy Minister for Social Services has been merged with the Deputy Minister for Children, a position previously held by Huw Lewis AM.
Mrs Thomas said: “The combining of the Social Services portfolio with the responsibility for children makes a great deal of sense. Tackling child poverty requires the cooperation of all the major departments of state and I recognise the challenge that this presents.”