Cabinet meeting: 8 December 2025

• Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS (Chair)
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS
• Jayne Bryant MS
• Mark Drakeford MS
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Jane Hutt MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
• Ken Skates MS
• Julie James MS
   
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Vikki Howells MS
• Sarah Murphy 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
• Luke Young, Special Adviser
• 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
• Andrew Slade, Director General Economy, Energy and Transport
• Judith Paget, Director General Strategy
• Emma Williams, Director General Education, Culture & Welsh Language
• Nick Wood, Deputy Chief Executive NHS Wales
• Nicola Williams, Director Legal Services
• Dean Medcraft, Director Finance
• Sharon Bounds, Deputy Director, Financial Controls (item 4)
• Emma Watkins, Deputy Director, Budget and Government Business (item 4)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion 24 Tachwedd 2025 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 24 November 2025.

Investment Summit

2.1 The First Minister reflected on the Investment Summit which had taken place the previous week, and thanked all those involved in the planning, organisation, and delivery of the successful event. The function at the International Convention Centre Wales, had brought together around 300 business leaders from 27 countries to experience Wales’s world-leading innovation and explored new opportunities for partnership and investment. So far over £16 billion of investment had been announced.

British Irish Council

2.2 The First Minister also thanked all those involved in delivering the 44th British Irish Council at Hensol Castle the previous Thursday and Friday, where the focus had been on Creative Industries. The sector, supported by Creative Wales, consisted of 3,500 businesses, employing 35,000 people with an annual turnover of £1.5 billion.

UK government’s Child Poverty Strategy

2.3 On Friday, the First Minister accompanied the Prime Minister on a visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre for the launch of the UK government’s Child Poverty Strategy. At the event, the First Minister announced almost £2 million of Welsh Government funding to improve facilities at the centre and increase childcare provision for local families.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted voting time was scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday and would be around 5:55pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language provided Cabinet with an update on the financial position which included progress with the Final Budget, and the implications of the UK Budget.

4.2 Discussions were continuing with opposition parties, with the aim of securing safe passage of the Final Budget through the Senedd during the debate on 27 January.

4.3 The UK government’s recent Budget provided an extra £508 million for the Welsh Government over the Spending Review period, including an additional £200 million for 2026-2027.

4.4 Cabinet noted the update.

Cabinet Secretariat
December 2025