Cabinet meeting: 23 March 2026

• 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
• Vikki Howells MS
• Jack Sargeant MS

Apologies

• Sarah Murphy 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
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Sarah Dickins, 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
• Katie Mason, Cabinet Secretariat
• James Oxenham, Cabinet Secretariat
• 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 Strategy
• Andrew Slade, Director General Economy, Energy and Transport
• Jacqueline Totterdell, Director General Health
• Emma Williams, Director General Education, Culture & Welsh Language
• Nicola Williams, Director Legal Services
• Alyson Francis, Director Housing and Regeneration (item 4)
• Katy Hossack, Deputy Director Public Inquiries (item 4)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion 16 Mawrth 2026 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 16 March 2026.

Conflict in the Middle East

2.1 The First Minister reflected on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which was becoming more serious.

2.2 It was clear the conflict would have implications for the economy and the cost of living, with the UK government holding a COBR meeting that day to consider the domestic economic impact.

Final scheduled Cabinet meeting of the current Senedd

2.1 The First Minister put on record her appreciation to Cabinet for their commitment and helping to deliver the Programme for Government over the current Senedd, particularly those who were standing down at the election.

UK Steel Strategy

2.2 The First Minister informed Cabinet she had attended the launch of the UK government’s Steel Strategy in Port Talbot on Thursday, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The strategy acknowledged the significance of Welsh steel production, with Wales expected to account for around half of the UK's steelmaking capacity.

2.3 It also aimed to stabilise the sector, ensure its viability, and return domestic production to recently sustained levels of around 40-50% of domestic steel demand. The strategy had been welcomed by both the Industry and Trade Unions.

Local Growth Fund

2.4 Earlier that day, during a visit to Ebbw Vale, the First Minister had unveiled plans for the £547 million Local Growth Fund, a major investment programme designed to strengthen regional economies, improve skills, support businesses and create better‑paid jobs across Wales.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted that voting time on Tuesday was expected to take place around 6:55pm and around 6:20pm on Wednesday. The Llywydd was planning to set a short time on Wednesday to enable the Trefnydd, John Griffiths, Mark Isherwood and 2 members not seeking re-election from each of the groups to make a short farewell statement.

4.1 The First Minister provided Cabinet with an update on the publication of the Module 3 report and recommendations from the COVID-19 Inquiry, relating to the impact of the pandemic on healthcare systems across the UK.

4.2 This was the third report and, as the evidence hearings had concluded, reports would be published regularly over the coming 2 years, with the Module 4 report on vaccines and therapeutics being published on 16 April, during the pre-election period.

4.3 In response to the publication, there had been a number of media interviews where questions generally focussed on the NHS workforce and level of preparedness for the next pandemic.

4.4 There had been a significant amount of Covid-19 Inquiry related business the previous week, as the government had published its response to the Module 2 report, along with an Oral Statement on Tuesday. This had been followed by a debate on the work of the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee work on Module 1 on Wednesday.

4.5 Officials informed Cabinet the Module 3 report had been presented in a narrative style and contained interspersal first hand evidence which the Inquiry had received from written and oral contributions. Evidence from each nation had been interwoven within the themes of the report. These included infection prevention and control, demands on healthcare services, patient care and treatment and the impact on healthcare workers.

4.6 The recommendations were cross-cutting and would require collaborative work across the 4 governments and the NHS. They included the need for increased capacity in urgent and emergency care, the body responsible for infection protection and control would need to be strengthened and data collection would need to be improved. Processes and documentation for advanced care planning would need to be standardised, while recording patients’ preferences. There should also be increased support for healthcare workers and clear guidance to assist decision makers.

4.7 Cabinet welcomed the update.

4.8 Cabinet noted the update and recognised the response to Module 3 would be a matter for the next government.

5.1 The Minister for Further and Higher Education provided Cabinet with an update on the support available for students, in advance of her oral statement to the Senedd the following day.

5.2 Over the current Senedd, the government had taken a considered approach to strengthening student support and responding to the challenges facing the tertiary sector. The priority was to ensure a fair, progressive system that widened participation and protected learners during a period of continuing financial pressure.

5.3 In Further Education, the government was supporting increased participation through increases to the Learning Grant and by maintaining a more generous Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) than anywhere else in the UK. These measures, along with widening EMA eligibility, were helping more learners access and remain in education.

5.4 With Higher Education, the government was continuing to operate a more progressive student finance system than England, with non-repayable grants remaining at the centre of the approach. Maintenance support had been increased, with targeted grants, and an uplift in the value of maintenance grants for the first time since 2018. The government had also protected Welsh borrowers from a regressive policy change by rejecting the UK government’s Plan 2 repayment threshold freeze and by retaining the unique partial loan write off. These actions ensured the system remained fair and affordable.

5.5 Support was being provided directly to the Sector, with an additional £38.5 million in 2024-2025 and new capital investment of £25.5 million to support estates, digital infrastructure and learning environments. Increases to the full-time undergraduate tuition fee caps also supported the financial stability of HE institutions in Wales. The Digarbon programme was further enabling colleges and universities to decarbonise their estates and strengthen long term sustainability, with a further £10 million in funding for 2025-2026.

5.6 Furthermore, the Call for Evidence on the future of tertiary education was gathering views on sustainability and student finance including repayment arrangements. This complemented the ongoing evaluation of the Diamond Reforms, supported by new research that had been published earlier that month. Together, this work would shape policy development and ensure future decisions would be grounded in fairness, widen access and align to the long-term needs of learners and institutions.

5.7 Cabinet welcomed the update.

Cabinet Secretariat
March 2026