Edwina Hart was elected to the Assembly in 1999 and became the Assembly’s first Finance Secretary. In 2000 this was changed to include responsibility for local government and she became Minister for Finance and Local Government. After the 2003 Assembly election she took on the newly created Social Justice portfolio and became the Social Justice and Regeneration Minister. In the Third Assembly she became the Minister for Health and Social Services. Along with her new role she retained the responsibility of being the Cabinet’s armed forces liaison in Wales. Her main political interests are equal opportunities and economic development.