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What do Assembly Members do?

Assembly Members’ workloads and the focus of their work differs from one AM to the next. Some AMs represent a city area, some represent a more rural area. Some represent a relatively rich area, others represent an area with high unemployment. The focus of their work will change from area to area, but whatever part of Wales they represent at the Assembly, they must they work to supoprt their constituents and their interests.

There are other aspects of an being an AM that can influence an AM’s workload – for example, some AMs are constituency AMs whilst some are regional AMs and cover a much wider area. Some are their party’s spokesperson on a certain issue, some have Ministerial positions within the Assembly Government and, of course, one AM is the First Minister. An AM’s responsibilities within the Assembly will influence their work.

AMs spend some of their days each week at the Assembly building in Cardiff Bay and some days in their own constituencies meeting constituents and local decision makers.

So what about their expenses?!
The Assembly has purchased the same software the Scottish Parliament uses to publish all MSP (Members of the Scottish Parliament) expenses online. Although there has been some controversy over AMs expenses, there haven’t been the problems that hit MPs at Westminster. From November 2009, all AMs expenses will be available for the public to see.

Assembly Members…

• Need to represent all the people who live in their constituency or region – not just those old enough / eligible to vote or just those who voted for them.
• Respond to correspondence sent to them by their constituents.
• Meet with constituents who wish to discuss matters.
• Campaign on issues they have a particular interest in and on issues brought to them by constituents and other interested parties.
• Attend Plenary Meetings (the main meeting of the Assembly open to all AMs) twice a week (Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons).
• Scrutinise policies, proposals and practices within the Assembly.
• Make representations on behalf of constituents and others.
• Meet with local councillors, council officials, service providers and commissioners to support improved local services.
• Meet with community groups, voluntary organisations and others to hear their issues or seek their views.
• Meet with private companies and their representatives and others with an interest in their constituency – for example companies with employees working in the constituency.
• Communicate issues and news to their constituents.
• Represent their party and feed into the development of their party’s policies.

Links and contact details

Name: BBC – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: BBC Wales – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: National Assembly for Wales – list of Assembly Members (AMs)
Web: www.assemblywales.org
Email:
Tel:
Info: National Assembly for Wales – list of all Assembly Members (AMs) and their contact details. We all have five local AMs – one is out local constituency AMs and four are ‘regional’ AMs – covering a wider part of Wales. You can contact any or all of them.

Name: Westminster Parliament – list of Members of Parliament (MPs)
Web: www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/index.cfm
Email:
Tel:
Info: Government website listing all MPs by name and by constituency

Name: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils
Web: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/DG_065241
Email:
Tel:
Info: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils and their websites. Your local council can provide details of all of your local councillors.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs
Web: www.europarl.org.uk/section/your-meps/your-meps
Email:
Tel:
Info: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs with contact details.

Name: National Assembly for Wales
Web: www.assemblywales.org
Email:
Tel: 0845 010 5500
Textphone: 0845 010 5678
Info: The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales and holds the Welsh government to account.

Name: Welsh Assembly Government
Web: www.wales.gov.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Wales, including the economy, health, education, and local government.

Name: Westminster Parliament
Web: www.parliament.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: The official website for the UK House of Parliament.

Name: The Prime Minister’s office (UK)
Web: www.number10.gov.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: The official website for the Prime Minister’s office.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website
Web: www.europarl.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: Europa – the European Union’s portal web site
Web: europa.eu
Email:
Tel:
Info: EUROPA is the European Union’s portal web site. It provides all the information made available on the Internet by the institutions and bodies of the European UnioEUROPA is administered by the European Commission in partnership with the other European institutions.

Name: The Labour Party
Web: www.labour.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: Plaid Cymru
Web: www.plaidcymru.org
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Conservative Party
Web: www.conservatives.com
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Liberal Democrats
Web: www.libdems.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Green Party
Web: www.greenparty.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: UK Independence Party
Web: www.ukip.org
Email:
Tel:
Info:

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