Welsh Office - Definition and Overview

The Welsh Office building in Whitehall, London

The Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Wales. The Welsh Office was established in April of 1965 to execute government policy in Wales and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales (a post of which had been created the previous October). The Welsh Office took over the responsibilities related to housing, local government and town and country planning, etc. for Wales which had previously the responsibilities of several other government departments. Following the referendum on Welsh devolution in 1997, the Welsh Office was formerly disbanded on 1 July 1999 and the majority of its powers were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales. The cabinet position of Secretary of State for Wales was retained at the head of a newly formed Wales Office.