Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales - Foreword and introduction

• Rt Hon Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, First Minister of Wales
• Sioned Williams MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality
• Rt Hon Elin Jones MS, Cabinet Minister for Finance
• Heledd Fychan MS, Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport
• Adam Price MS, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
• Anna Brychan MS, Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
• Dafydd Trystan Davies MS, Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution
• Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
• Llyr Gruffydd MS, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
• Siân Gwenllian MS, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
• Rt Hon Elfyn Llwyd, Counsel General
• Delyth Jewell MS, Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
• Mark Hooper MS, Deputy Minister for Transport
• Cefin Campbell MS, Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education
• Nerys Evans MS, Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health

The new Welsh Government has kept its promise to the people of Wales.

In our first 100 days, we hit the ground running, delivering a strong start and taking action on the issues that matter most to those we serve.

Those first months were about laying the foundations for change and demonstrating that government can move at pace when it is focused on the right priorities.

This Programme for Government will build on that progress over the next 4 years.

Our focus now is on turning early action into lasting results by getting waiting lists down, ensuring a more sustainable future for our NHS, helping families with the cost of living, creating good jobs, raising standards in our schools, tackling child poverty and standing up for our nation.

We were elected to get Wales moving after years of drift and stagnation. That remains our mission.

By building on the momentum of our first 100 days, we will continue to repay the trust people have placed in us and deliver the practical improvements that make a real difference to their lives.

We will be uncompromising in standing up for Wales and demanding fairness from Westminster. This means making the case for empowering the Senedd with the tools that will enable us to be bolder and more radical in how we change our citizens’ lives for the better and taking people with us on the next steps on our nation’s constitutional journey.

This government will always be a strong voice for our nation, fighting for a fair deal on funding, investment and opportunity, and ensuring Wales is treated as an equal partner without exception.

Where there is common ground, we will work constructively across the Senedd to deliver for the people of Wales.

For too long, silo working has stood in the way of progress. This new government is taking a different approach. By bringing imagination and innovation to the way decisions are made and priorities are set, we will work across government departments – not just within them – to address the greatest challenges facing our society today.

It is incumbent on government to address these long‑term challenges, to lay the foundations for a healthy population for decades, to invest in the infrastructure for a thriving economy and to protect our environment for future generations.

Rt Hon Rhun ap Iorwerth MS
First Minister of Wales

This is our blueprint for change to realise our vision of a modern, thriving, ambitious and confident nation. It marks the start of a new chapter for Wales and reflects our vision for a country where its people can expect better outcomes through more effective government and improved public services.

We will concentrate on our key priorities; bringing down waiting lists, supporting families with the cost of living, creating good, well‑paid jobs, raising educational standards, tackling child poverty, and in everything we do, we will always stand up for Wales.

There is nothing inevitable about the challenges facing our nation. By taking a new approach to governing, we will tackle the root causes of ill‑health, poverty and weak economic growth. These goals will form a common thread across all the work of government – no more silo working, disjointed policy making or sticking‑plaster solutions which lead to stagnation or worse, decline. We want to create a nation that is confident in its own identity, its culture and its languages – and the role of these in promoting the wellbeing of our people.

We will build on the first phase of devolution and seize the nation‑building opportunities ahead of us. We will stand up for Wales and its people in the face of previous injustices, to make sure we have the funding and the powers we need to improve people’s lives in every community. This means pressing the case for Wales to have the same powers as Scotland as a bare minimum, and a fairer funding formula to help us build resilience in our public services.

The challenges we face are complex and interconnected but they are not insurmountable. Building on the strong foundations put in place during the First 100 Days, we will now move to the next phase of building a fairer, greener and more prosperous Wales.