Cabinet meeting: 30 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
• 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
• 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
• Phil Elkin, Deputy Director Legal Services
• Gian Marco Currado, Director Rural Affairs (item 4)
• Claire Bennett, Director Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability (item 4)
• Mark Alexander, Deputy Director for Land Management Reform (item 4)
• Naomi Matthiessen, Deputy Director Landscapes, Nature & Forestry (item 4)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 23 Mehefin 2025 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 23 June 2025.

2.1 The First Minister welcomed the UK Government’s changes to the proposed welfare reforms. The UK Government had responded to the concerns raised by the Welsh Government about the impact of the proposals in Wales, and to the calls to work with disabled people to ensure future policy changes would be co-produced with those impacted. There would now be a need to consider the details of the changes and how they reflected the needs of disabled people in Wales.

Ireland Wales Ministerial Forum

2.2 The First Minister informed Cabinet that she, along with the Tanaiste, would be leading the next Ireland Wales Ministerial Forum, taking place on Thursday in Swansea.

Visit to Switzerland

2.3 Later in the week the First Minister would be traveling to Switzerland to undertake a visit to CERN in Geneva and attend the first match of the Wales team at EUROs 2025 in Lucerne on Saturday.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted the Trefnydd would be requesting Business Committee agree to a change in the order of debates on Wednesday, so the Economy Trade and Rural Affairs Committee debate would be taken before the debate on the Member’s Legislative Proposal.

3.2 Voting time was scheduled for 4:50pm on Tuesday, this would then be followed by Stage 3 of the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill, with voting throughout. Voting time would be around 6:05pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to agree the revised design of the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) and that it should be published on 15th July.

4.2 The time taken to develop the final Scheme, in partnership with stakeholders, reflected the importance of the change not just for agriculture, but for the people of Wales. The sustainable production of high-quality food was vital for the economy, environment and communities, and people expected farmers to deliver these multiple benefits in return for support from government.

4.3 Cabinet welcomed the paper, specifically the flexibility within the proposals. However, it was agreed the views of stakeholders should be ascertained before a formal decision was taken.

4.4 Officials should produce and circulate a note addressing the points raised in discussion. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change would share the proposals with stakeholders at the Roundtable this week and provide an oral update at the next Cabinet meeting.