Welsh Conservatives today revealed that two senior Welsh Ministers have not visited their own offices in the last six months.
A Freedom of Information enquiry revealed that Labour’s Business Minister has not visited her own department based in the Welsh Government’s office at Llandudno Junction once in the past six months. It reveals that the Environment Minister has not had any meetings with his civil servants in Aberystwyth since 3rd April 2012.
Nick Ramsay AM, Shadow Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology & Science, said, "It does seem extraordinary that senior Ministers have not had any meetings with their own civil servants in the past six months.
"These senior Labour Ministers are directly responsible for the actions their civil servants take in the delivery of key policy objectives, yet they seem to be absent.
"At a time when our economy needs swift decision-making to create the conditions for economic growth and prosperity, the Minister and her officials should be working hand in glove."
Russell George AM, Shadow Minister for the Environment, said, "It was right for the Welsh Government to seek to create jobs around Wales rather than centralising power in Cardiff. However, unless Ministers work closely with staff in regional offices, government functions cannot be carried out effectively.
"Only last week the Labour Education Minister was criticised for not having his finger on the pulse of his own department and now we see more Ministers failing to engage with their colleagues.
"Lazy Labour Ministers must get a grip on their own departments and start delivering the improvements in the economy and public services that the people of Wales rightly demand.
"The people of Wales deserve better than a bunch of absent Ministers."