Rt Hon Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, First Minister of Wales
Keeping Wales safe is one of the first responsibilities of government. Our Programme for Government is clear: we must prepare for all eventualities, ensure that essential services can be relied upon in an emergency and during disruptive challenges and work with our partners to protect our economy, infrastructure and communities across Wales.
The world is becoming more uncertain and complex, and the risks we face are changing and becoming more interconnected. Climate change is increasing the likelihood and severity of flooding, extreme heat and wildfires. Wales must also be ready for cyber-attacks, pandemics, industrial incidents and disruption to essential services, including energy, water and communications.
No organisation or community can meet these challenges alone. The Wales Resilience Framework therefore is bringing together government, emergency responders, the wider public sector, businesses, the voluntary sector and communities in a whole-of-society approach. We will take a focused and consistent national approach where that adds value, while recognising the different needs of our communities.
This summer demonstrated the strength of that approach. During periods of extreme heat and significant wildfire activity, partners worked together to protect communities and respond rapidly. I want to pay tribute to our emergency responders, public servants, volunteers and local communities for their commitment which helped keep people safe.
As winter approaches, we are preparing for the risks of severe weather, flooding, pressure on our health and social care services, transport disruption and impacts on critical infrastructure. These risks can occur together and can affect most severely those who are already vulnerable or facing hardship.
That is why we continue to strengthen our understanding of risk, test our plans and improve the way organisations work together. And today, I can announce that I am establishing an Independent Panel of Resilience Expert Advisers to provide rigorous, independent advice and challenge on Wales’ civil contingencies arrangements. Its work will help ensure that our preparedness and response capabilities keep pace with emerging risks and threats. This will complement the oversight and leadership provided through the Wales Resilience Forum and Wales Resilience Partnership in addition to the work of Wales’s’ four Local Resilience Forums.
Together, these arrangements are helping to strengthen strategic leadership, improve coordination and enable a more consistent approach to resilience across Wales.
Protecting those most at risk must be at the heart of our preparations. We are working with partners to improve planning and the responsible use and sharing of information, so that people who may need additional help can be identified and supported more quickly before, during and after an emergency.
Preparedness also depends on public trust and clear information. Today, the Welsh Government is publishing accessible information about the risks most relevant to Wales and what government and its partners are doing to manage them.
Providing information about risk is not about causing concern. Rather, it is about ensuring that people have authoritative and reliable information and confidence that Wales is planning effectively for the future.
Alongside work in Wales to strengthen resilience and preparedness, the UK Government is considering further plans to share information and advice with the public on risks and emergencies, building on existing resources such as the UK National Risk Register. We will continue to work closely with UK Government, the emergency services, local authorities and other partners to ensure that individuals, families and communities across Wales have access to clear and practical information to help them prepare for and respond to a range of risks.
Recent events, such as Storm Darragh in late 2024, have shown how quickly disruption can affect daily life. However, preparing for emergencies does not mean buying large quantities of supplies at once or expecting people to face challenges alone. Our advice will therefore remain practical, proportionate and accessible. Our focus is to ensure communities and households feel confident and informed. Simple measures such as keeping important contact details accessible, understanding how to receive information during a power cut, checking eligibility for support schemes such as the Priority Services Register, or thinking through a basic household emergency plan can all help reduce disruption when incidents occur. You can also build up a small supply of essential items gradually, as part of your normal shopping.
It is equally important that preparedness remains fair and inclusive. Not everyone has the means to set aside additional resources, and responsibility for public safety cannot rest solely with individuals. Our commitment to tackling poverty and supporting families remains central to this work. We will continue to ensure that public preparedness advice is practical, proportionate and accessible, while working with local government, public services and the voluntary sector to support those who need additional help.
Wales has strong foundations: committed responders, capable public services and strong communities that look out for one another. We will build on those strengths, learn from every emergency and continue improving our arrangements by working together.
Resilience is an ongoing commitment to learning, improving and preparing for the challenges ahead. Through partnership, openness and collective action, we will continue to build a Wales that is safer, stronger and better prepared for whatever the future may bring.
That is how we will deliver our Programme for Government commitment: keeping Wales safe, strengthening our resilience and ensuring that our nation is ready to respond when it matters most.