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Last Updated: Thursday, 19 July 2007, 12:17 GMT 13:17 UK
Three Plaid ministers in cabinet
Ieaun Wyn Jones, Elin Jones, Rhodri Glyn Thomas

Plaid Cymru has three ministers in the new coalition cabinet, it has been announced.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Elin Jones have joined party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones in the line-up of 10 ministers revealed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Mr Thomas is heritage minister and Elin Jones is rural affairs minister, while Ieuan Wyn Jones will also become economy and transport minister.

Plaid and Labour sealed a coalition deal to form an assembly government.

All seven ministers named in Labour's minority government cabinet at the start of June will remain in the new cabinet, although several have seen their portfolios changed.

The only Labour politician to have lost out was Merthyr AM Huw Lewis, who has been sacked as a deputy minister for economy and transport.

In his place, Plaid's Jocelyn Davies has been appointed as deputy minister for housing.

NEW LAB-PLAID CABINET
Welsh Assembly Government
First minister: Rhodri Morgan
Deputy first minister, and economy and transport: Ieuan Wyn Jones
Social justice and local government: Brian Gibbons
Education, children and young people: Jane Hutt
Finance and public service delivery: Andrew Davies
Health and social services: Edwina Hart
Sustainability and housing: Jane Davidson
Heritage: Rhodri Glyn Thomas
Rural affairs: Elin Jones
Counsel general, leader of the house and assembly business and communications: Carwyn Jones

Elsewhere, Labour's Carwyn Jones will be counsel general and leader of the house, and will have responsibility for assembly business and communications.

Also affected in the reshuffle are Andrew Davies, who becomes minister for finance and public service delivery and Jane Hutt, who takes responsibility for education, children and young people.

And Brian Gibbons, whose previous job of economy and transport has gone to Ieuan Wyn Jones, will now deal with social justice and local government.

Housing is added to Jane Davidson's responsibility for sustainability and Edwina Hart retains responsibility for health and social services.

As for the incoming Plaid ministers, Elin Jones' rural affairs post had formerly been part of the sustainability and rural development portfolio.

And Rhodri Glyn Thomas' heritage role includes tourism, Cadw, arts, sports and the Welsh language.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the new cabinet marked "the start of a new era of strength in partnership".

He said he had an "experienced and talented team of ministers able to meet the challenge of making our nation a better place to live and work".

'Historic'

"I am confident that the new cabinet has the passion and commitment to deliver the fair, prosperous, confident and outgoing Wales our citizens deserve and demand," he said.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones added that work could now "start to deliver" and said it was "an historic occasion".

"I am absolutely satisfied with the number and range of portfolios that we have across the range of policies - I am very very happy," he added.
The announcement demonstrates in the clearest possible terms how Plaid will be dominated by Labour in this new government
Nick Bourne

Alongside Jocelyn Davies as the new deputy minister for housing, the other deputies are Gwenda Thomas (social services), John Griffiths (skills) and Leighton Andrews (regeneration), while Carl Sargeant will remain chief whip.

On Wednesday, Labour's Merthyr AM Huw Lewis said was "disappointed and not a little surprised" to have lost his post in the reshuffle.

Speaking after the cabinet was announced, Tory leader Nick Bourne said that some of the faces had changed, but "this government still has to tackle the same problems".

"The announcement demonstrates in the clearest possible terms how Plaid will be dominated by Labour in this new government," he added.


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