Llyr Gruffydd MS Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability

• Cross-cutting measures of mitigation and adaptation in relation to climate change, including water; land drainage; flood and coastal risk; and control of marine and air pollution
• Net Zero, climate change, emission reduction targets and carbon budgets
• Natural Resources Management, including oversight and implementation of the Environment (Wales) Act and Natural Resources Wales
• Water
• Forestry policy and legislation, including re-stocking, tree health and forest reproductive material and the National Forest
• Marine and freshwater planning, biodiversity, conservation and licencing
• Biodiversity policy, including the implementation of the Nature Recovery Plan
• Sustainable resource and waste management
• Local environment quality, including Noise policy, litter, fly-tipping, Deposit Return Scheme and Extended Producer Responsibility
• The protection and management of wildlife, including control of pests, injurious weeds and vermin and the regulation of plant health, seeds and pesticides
• Reservoir Safety
• Strategic lead on allotments and urban green infrastructure
• Community Green Spaces and common land
• Access to the countryside, coast, rights of way and waterways/bodies of water
• National Parks & Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• REACH and Chemical policy
• Coal tip safety
• Opencast mine restoration
• Sustainability of rural communities
• Rural proofing
• Supporting Agriculture – food security, economic, social
• Sustainable Farming Scheme
• Agriculture sector development, including wages and skills
• Rural Development Programme
• Best and most versatile land policy, advice on mineral site restoration to an agricultural after-use, Agricultural Land Classification and implementation of the EIA (Agriculture) Regulations
• Young Entrants
• Animal health and welfare
• Bovine TB Eradication Plan
• Livestock identification and movement policy
• Holding registration policy
• Genetically modified crops
• Power to require provision of information about crop prices
• Inland, coastal and sea fisheries: policy regulation and enforcement, and the management of fishery harbours
• Circular economy
• Developing agri-food sector, associated supply chains, promotion and marketing of food and drink from Wales

Personal history

Llyr Gruffydd was educated at Ysgol Bro Myrddin and Aberystwyth University.

Professional background

He began his career as a youth worker before going to work for the Wales Youth Agency and the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services. He later became project manager for an economic development company. Gruffydd has also been a Management Consultant for the National Trust in Wales.

Political history

He stood for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire seat at the Assembly Election in 2003. He stood for the same seat at the 2001 General Election, and for the Clwyd West seat at the 2010 General Election. He was elected as a MS for the North Wales region in 2011, and in 2026 became the MS for Clwyd.

On 13 May 2026 Llyr Gruffydd was appointed Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability.