UK Government-Secretaries

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs：
Hilary Benn MP (appointed on 28 June 2007).
Responses to:

• All departmental issues including budget, delivery and strategies
• EU Agriculture, Fisheries and Enironmental Council
• International negotiations on sustainable development and Defra’s interest in climate change
• National Economic Council (NEC) & National Development Council (NDC)

Secretary of State for Transport: Lord Adonis MP (appointed 5 June 2009).
Responsibilities:

• Delivery of Government's transport commitments
• Long-term transport strategy, including high speed rail and carbon
• Security
  

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs:
David Miliband MP (appointed on 28 June 2007).
Responsibilities:

• Overall management of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) including departmental strategies and policy planing
• responsible for relations with foreign countries, matters pertaining to the Commonwealth of Nations and the UK's overseas territories and the promotion of British interests abroad.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions:Yvette Cooper MP (appointed on 5 June 2009)
Responsibilities:

• Welfare and pension reform
• Helping people free from poverty

Secretary of State for Defence：Bob Ainsworth MP(appointed on 5 June 2009).

Responsibilities:

• Take over the whole business of Defence Department including departmental plan, budge and Defence Policy, Media and Communications
• His personal work on Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Nuclear issues ,Bilateral Defence Relations, NATO and EU issues

Home Secretary for the Home Office: Alan Johnson MP(appointed on 5 June 2009)
 Responsibilities:

•  The whole business of the Department and its policies
• Personal work: Security, Counter-terrorism, Civil emergencies, Expenditure issues
  

Secretary of State for Health: Andy Burnham, a Cabinet minister, is the leader of Health Department. He responds to the NHS and social care delivery and system reforms. Also  finance and resources, strategic communications of the Health Department.


Chancellor of the Exchequer : Alistair Darling MP (appointed on 28 June 2007)
He in charge of all economic and financial matters of UK Parliament.
He controls Her Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury), which developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy.

 
Prime Minister's responsibilities:

• Selecting all other members of the government
• Chairing Cabinet meetings
• Decision of holding general election for the House of Commons
• Oversees the operation of the civil service and Government agencies
• Recommending a number of appointments to the Queen: members of the Church of England and senior judge

The Assembly of Wales

Outline

The first minister: Rhodri Morgan (Rt. Hon Rhodri Morgan AM), he was appointed by the Queen following the elections in May 2007. The first minister can appoint the Welsh Ministers, Deputy Welsh Ministers and the Welsh Assembly Government).


Members: there are 60 seats for Assembly members, and the elections be held on a four year cycle. They represent specific area of Wales.
 
About the Tour to Senedd--home of the National Assembly for Wales
 
When we got into the building for the first time, I felt a little bit surprised. It seems to be complicated and serious that we had to take off our coats before go through the security check-in gate, and scaned for security inspection. But when you have realized that you are entering a government building, it is not that complicated, for we Chinsese students don't have many opportunities to walk in a government place. The Wales Assembly is open to us.
 
The building Senedd must be one of the symbols that Welsh would be proud of. The tour guide told us that it is called a environmentally friendly building. It is designed in a sustainable way. First one is, the beautiful roof, despite of the wooden material, the roof can go for at least 100 years. Second one is, people use recycled rain water to fush the toilet which collected by pipes outside the building. Third one is, electronic lights are unnecessary at day time, because there is no wall but glass all around the building. Furth one is, geothermy is applied to keep the building warm in winter, so that minimises using air conditions. The guide told us that, in spite of the high costs to build such a beautiful and environmental buiding, it can save 50% expence on energy.
 
The Siambr was the second place we visted. I'm not sure about the word 'Siambr', but after our viste, I know that it is a place to hold conferences. The guide told us assembly members meet every week, and every one can be a sitter-in to some of the members' discussions. The subjects that might be discussed in the Siambr can be health, environment, education, transport, housing ect.
 
We were so luckey that we meet one of the Assembly members, Mr. Franks, a regional member account for South Wales. When we asked him about the drawbacks of Wales Assembly, he said he hope the Assembly to have more power, such as to make local laws for Wales and to solve Welsh education problems which are specific.

Halloween

Also called     All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints’ Eve
Observed by  Numerous Western countries (see article)
Type              Secular, with roots in Christian and Celtic tradition
Begins           Sunset
Ends              Midnight
Date              October 31
Celebrations Costume parties, trick-or-treating in costumes, bonfires, divination
Related to     Samhain, All Saints’ Day

Jack-o'-lantern

History

Orign of Name

The word Halloween, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows' Even – e'en is a shortening of even, which is a shortening of evening. It is now known as "Eve of" All Saints' Day.

Symbols
Jack-o'-lantern-carving of pumpkin, is the most famous symbol of Halloween.

Traditional characters include the Devil, the Grim Reaper, ghosts, ghouls, demons, witches, goblins, vampires, werewolves, zombies, skeletons, black cats, spiders, bats, and crows.

Foods
Caramel apples or taffy apples

Created by dipping or rolling apples-on-a-stick in hot caramel, sometimes then rolling them in nuts or other small savories or confections, and allowing them to cool.


 
 

        
Barmbrack (Ireland)
A yeasted bread with added sultanas and raisins.

                      

Bonfire toffee (Britain)
Treacle toffee, is a very hard, very brittle toffee that is associated with Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night in the United Kingdom.

Candy Corn (North America)
A confection popular in the United States and Canada, particularly in autumn around Halloween.





Trick-or-treating

Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?"










Costumes

Costumes are based on themes :such as ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils; characters from television shows, movies, and other pop culture icons.