Cabinet meeting: 13 October 2025

• Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS (Chair)
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS
• Jayne Bryant MS
• Mark Drakeford MS
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Jane Hutt MS
• Julie James MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
   
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Sarah Murphy MS
• Jack Sargeant MS 

Apologies

• Ken Skates MS
• Vikki Howells MS 

Officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Rachel Garside-Jones, Director Office of the First Minister and Delivery
• Rebecca Dunn, Head of Cabinet Division
• Victoria Jones, Principal Private Secretary First Minister
• Toby Mason, Head of Strategic Communications
• Sinead Gallagher, Deputy Director Cabinet Office
• Luke Young, Special Adviser (recused from items 4 & 6)
• Sarah Dickins, Special Adviser
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Haf Davies, Special Adviser
• Victoria Evans, Special Adviser
• David Hooson, Special Adviser
• Nadila Hussein, Special Adviser
• Kirsty Keenan, Special Adviser
• Jackie Jones, Special Adviser
• Stephen Jones, Special Adviser
• Philippa Marsden, Special Adviser
• Tal Michael, Special Adviser,
• Mary Wimbury, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Helena Bird, Permanent Secretary’s office
• Carwyn Wycherley, Cabinet Office
• Kath Hallett, First Minister’s office
• Tracey Burke, Director General Climate Change & Rural Affairs
• Sioned Evans, Chief Operating Officer  
• Jacqueline Totterdell, Director General Health and Social Care
• Andrew Slade, Director General Economy, Energy and Transport  
• Judith Paget, Director General Strategy
• Emma Williams, Director General Education, Culture & Welsh Language
• Nia James, Director Legal Services
• Claire Bennett, Director, Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability (item 5)
• Bethan Cradock, Head of Water Reform (item 5)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 6 Hydref 2025 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 6 October 2025.   

Local Growth Fund 

2.1 The First Minister and Cabinet welcomed the announcement from the UK Government that Wales would receive £547m over three years to support regional growth, productivity and tackle economic inequalities. It would be known as the Local Growth Fund for Wales, replacing European Union funding, and would deliver against the Welsh Government’s Economic Mission and the UK Government’s agenda for growth. Local Government and other delivery partners would have a key role in deciding how the funds would be allocated. Later that month the Welsh Government would consult on the best way to use this funding. 

North Wales Cabinet Sub-committee 

2.2 The First Minister thanked all those who had attended the North Wales Cabinet Sub-Committee the previous week.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted that voting time was scheduled for 6:20pm on Tuesday and would be around 6:25pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning provided Cabinet with an update on the Wales Investment Summit, which would be taking place on 1^st December. There would also be range of Welsh sporting and cultural experiences the day before for delegates.

4.2 The Summit aimed to raise Wales’ profile as a dynamic and sustainable economy that would benefit global companies, with opportunities presented to investors across sectors including Compound Semiconductors, Technology, Clean Energy, Advanced Manufacturing and the Creative Industries. 

4.3 It would also present a series of capital investment opportunities to delegates, such as those representing Sovereign Wealth Funds.

4.4 The Summit would demonstrate how Wales was able to bring together industry, academia and government to support investment and ensure the right environment existed so business could grow. The programme would consist of a series of speaking slots and sector breakout sessions, whilst a ‘Wales Showcase’ would demonstrate the diverse range of products, services and innovations, which were all made in Wales. 

4.5 More than 20 companies in Wales had agreed to showcase their products or services, demonstrating both the breadth of talent in Wales that could benefit potential investors, and the nurturing business ecosystem that existed. Importantly, the Showcase would also highlight the potential offered by the Freeports, the Investment Zones and the Mid-Wales Growth Deal.   

4.6 The main stage would feature panel sessions and discussions, with speakers from industry setting out how they worked in Wales and how the country had supported their business. It would also feature how opportunities and challenges across the global investment landscape were impacting decisions and the implications this would bring for Wales.

5.1 The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to agree the Welsh Government’s approach in response to the Independent Water Commission’s (IWC) recommendations.

5.2 The IWC, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, had been jointly commissioned by Welsh and UK Governments to review the water sector in Wales and England. It had been the most extensive review since privatisation. 

5.3 The main recommendations of the paper included seeking support for urgent work to accelerate reform arrangements, contribute to the UK Government’s White Paper and Bill and support a Welsh Government Green paper.

5.4 Through the devolution of economic regulation, the Government would be able to build a more integrated, resilient, and forward-looking system, one that aligned the planning of the water industry with the needs of the water environment. 

5.5 A regulatory framework would be created that reflected Welsh values, supported long-term sustainability, and delivered for communities, nature, and future generations. 

5.6 Having control of economic regulation for water, aligned with environmental regulation for the first time would allow Wales to take a different approach, given the current system was designed to create market competition. 

5.7 The Government had welcomed the IWC report in July and committed to establishing an economic regulator for Wales, working with the UK Government to achieve a smooth transition from Ofwat to the new regulator.

5.8 The Welsh Government’s consultation paper would give stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the strategic direction for Wales. It would commit to the new water regulator, a national water strategy, interim milestones and Ministerial priorities, while establishing a new national water system planning function, potentially integrated with the new water regulator, and exploration of a new ombudsman for water in Wales.

5.9 There was a chance to rebuild public confidence in a system overdue for reform, reset the narrative so the Welsh public understood how water was governed in Wales, while ensuring world-class drinking water was maintained.  People would have affordable bills, accountable companies, and use natural resources sustainably.   

5.10 It was important to work with the UK Government to ensure the Senedd had the powers to legislate for water reforms and, during transition, maintained Drinking Water Inspectorate functions for Wales.

5.11 Cabinet approved the paper and noted the Deputy First Minister would be delivering a statement to the Senedd the following week, to set out the direction of travel.   

Cabinet Secretariat
October 2025