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Foreword by the Secretary of State for Wales, Rt. Hon Paul Murphy MP

This is the fifth annual report that I present to Parliament as Secretary of State for Wales, the second since my return to the Wales Office in January 2008.

The 12 months detailed within this Report were extraordinary times for Wales in many ways. It was a year when Wales was able to celebrate many Welsh triumphs and successes, but also a year when the worst global economic downturn in living memory had an undeniable impact on individuals, families and businesses across Wales.

These extraordinary times prompted unprecedented responses from the Government in Westminster, working in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff Bay. While there has been no silver bullet to remedy the global economic conditions, it has been possible to limit their impact on individuals, families and businesses in Wales, and to equip them better to respond when recovery begins.

As Welsh Secretary, I have sat on the National Economic Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, and on the regular meetings of the All-Wales Economic Summit with First Minister Rhodri Morgan. These summit meetings have been invaluable in bringing together representatives from across the business, union, banking and retail sectors of Wales to discuss how we can work together and to ensure we understand exactly what has been happening at the sharp end of the downturn.

As a Government, we have been listening and doing everything possible to help and support small businesses face these difficult economic times. Through a range of support measures, I am confident that we will not only deal with the immediate economic concerns but build a more robust, sustainable economy for the future, putting Wales in the best position to benefit from the upturn when it arrives.

We must not forget that there has also been much to celebrate in Wales in 2008.

Whether it was on the rugby or soccer pitch, boxing ring or at the Olympic and Paralympic games in Beijing last summer, Welsh sportsmen and women made for a golden year for Welsh sport. I will always remember the day in August when I joined Rhodri Morgan and 2,000 cheering fans in Cardiff Bay to welcome home Wales’s Olympic heroes from Beijing with the best medal haul for Wales for almost 90 years.

Elsewhere Welsh writers, actors and musicians have celebrated national and international recognition as Welsh successes were saluted in the worlds of television, theatre and music. 2008 truly was the year of “Cwl Cymru”.

It was also a year marked by some significant anniversaries in Wales, including the 60^th anniversary of the National Health Service, created by Labour Health Minister and Blaenau Gwent MP Nye Bevan, and the 10^th anniversary of the National Minimum Wage.

In what was also the 10^th year of devolution, the first Legislative Competence Order was approved by Her Majesty in Council in April 2008. It marked a historic milestone in the devolution process for Wales and for the transfer of powers from Parliament to the National Assembly of Wales. It showed how the UK Government and Welsh Assembly Government are working together to deliver better services and make a real difference to the lives of people in Wales.

At Westminster, Welsh MPs continue to play a vital role in scrutiny and decision making issues in Wales and across the UK.

By facing the economic challenges of Wales together, the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government have shown that devolution is about genuine partnership and working together to get results for the people of Wales. At the Wales Office, we will continue to play a pivotal role in that success story, and continue to work to deliver social justice and economic stability for the people of Wales.

Download Annual Report 2009