Cabinet meeting: 23 June 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
• Ken Skates MS
   
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Sarah Murphy MS
• Vikki Howells MS
• Jack Sargeant 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
• Wayne David, Special Adviser
• Sarah Dickins, Special Adviser
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Julia David, 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
• Martha O’Neil, Special Adviser
• Mary Wimbury, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Bethan Davies, Cabinet Office
• Helena Bird, Permanent Secretary’s office
• Kath Hallett, First Minister’s office
• Tracey Burke, Director General Climate Change & Rural Affairs
• Sioned Evans, Chief Operating Officer
• Judith Paget, Director General Health
• Andrew Slade, Director General Economy, Energy and Transport
• Emma Williams, Interim Director General Education, Culture & Welsh Language
• Stephanie Evans, Deputy Director Legal Services
• Nia Lewis, Cabinet Office (item 4)
• Daniel Griffiths, Cabinet Office (item 4)
• Andrew Jeffreys, Director Treasury (item 5)
• Emma Watkins, Deputy Director Budget and Government Business (item 5)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 16 Mehefin 2025 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 16 June 2025.

Baroness Casey report

2.1 The First Minister referred to the UK government’s publication of the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, produced by Baroness Casey. The First Minister welcomed the decision by the UK government to accept all recommendations in the report, which included undertaking a national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs. This inquiry would cover England and Wales. The First Minister had written to the Home Secretary to ensure that Welsh issues, including recent and historic events, would be investigated and analysed by the inquiry, and indicated that the Welsh Government would co-operate.

2.2 There had been media speculation the previous week about Welsh Government’s co-operation and responses to the National Audit. This was the result of an error in the report, which had suggested material requested from Welsh Government had not been provided. Baroness Casey’s team had since confirmed the Welsh Government had fully engaged and provided all information as requested and would be correcting the report accordingly.

Conwy Tunnels

2.3 The First Minister invited the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to provide an update on the fire in the Conwy Tunnels.

2.4 Both tunnels had to close urgently the previous Thursday due to a crane fire in the westbound bore. There were no casualties, and the fire was brought under control quite quickly by the North Wales Fire and Rescue service due to their immediate response.

2.5 The North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency inspected the tunnel in both bores and confirmed the eastbound bore was safe to reopen under contraflow traffic management conditions on Friday morning.

2.6 On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, inspections, testing, temporary repairs, resurfacing and cleaning works took place in the westbound tunnel bore and it reopened at 5:30am on Sunday.

Conflict in the Middle East

2.7 The First Minister informed Cabinet she had received a security briefing earlier that day on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It was important to keep a watching brief on the situation.

UK Industrial Strategy

2.8 The First Minister informed Cabinet the UK government had published its Industrial Strategy earlier that day and invited the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to provide an update on the implications for Wales.

2.9 The Strategy had the potential to be transformative for Wales, with developments such as the centre for doctoral training in semiconductors led by Swansea University and building on the cluster in South Wales. Businesses, such as Tata Steel, Airbus and Toyota, would benefit from the reduction in energy costs from 2026-2027, and there would be boost to research and development funding which would benefit the Higher Education Sector. Furthermore, companies would be able to take advantage of the defence growth deal cluster.

2.10 It would be important to take advantage of the opportunities in high-growth sectors and ensure quality jobs continued to expand in Wales.

Armed Services Week

2.11 The First Minister acknowledged that this was Armed Forces Week and informed Cabinet that the Minister for Children and Social Care would be representing the Government at the national event in Caldicot Castle on Saturday.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted that voting time was scheduled for 5:50pm on Tuesday and around 6:25pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Counsel General and Minister for Delivery introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to approve the Welsh Government’s 2024-2025 Annual Report.

4.2 This was the fourth and final Annual Report of the current Senedd and reported on progress made between April 2024 to the end of March 2025, but to ensure relevance, some achievements made before the end of May had been included.

4.3 To satisfy section 12(1)(a) of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, the Programme for Government Annual Report would be published with an accompanying annex, setting out progress towards each of the 115 commitments and fulfilling the statutory duty.

4.4 The key achievements made across the Programme for Government had been highlighted in the narrative. For example, hospital waiting lists were now 59% lower since March 2024 and 88% lower than their post pandemic peak, the roll-out of free school meals in primary schools had been completed, and tens of thousands of new jobs and apprenticeships created, while also supporting those impacted by the end of blast furnace steel production in Port Talbot.

4.5 In addition, nearly 9,000 new homes for social rent had been delivered. Also, 580 homes had been brought back into use and there had been £90 million in loans to housing associations. Furthermore, the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme had been introduced, taking the important step to reduce reliance on raw materials.

4.6 Cabinet welcomed the paper and recognised that a significant amount had been delivered despite the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

4.7 Cabinet agreed to retain the current Well-being Objectives, and acknowledged the constructive input made by the Social Partnership Council, which should be highlighted in the Annual Report Written Statement.

4.8 Cabinet approved the recommendations within the paper.

5.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to agree the approach to the 2026-2027 Budget.

5.2 Although there had been a multi-year settlement from the UK government at the recent Spending Review, given the political context and the forthcoming Senedd Elections, it was agreed to publish a single year ‘rollover’ budget. This would provide stability and certainty and ensure that public services were properly funded, despite the uncertainty of an election period.

5.3 Cabinet approved the paper.

Cabinet Secretariat
June 2025