Written Statement: Membership of the Social Partnership Council

I am pleased to today announce the membership of the first Social Partnership Council.

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 became law earlier this year, fulfilling a Programme for Government commitment to place social partnership on a statutory footing in Wales.

Part 1 of the Act establishes the Social Partnership Council, which I will chair as First Minister. The membership will be made up of representatives of employers and workers from the public, private and third sectors in Wales.

The Social Partnership Council will improve economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being in Wales.  To do this, it may provide information and advice to Welsh Ministers about:

• The social partnership duties the Act imposes on public bodies and the Welsh Ministers.
• The pursuit of the A Prosperous Wales wellbeing goal by public bodies when carrying out sustainable development under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
• The socially responsible public procurement functions conferred on contracting authorities and the Welsh Ministers under Part 3 of the Act.

Earlier this year I wrote to nominating bodies seeking nominations for worker and employer representatives. I can confirm the following individuals have accepted my invitation to become members of the Social Partnership Council:

Worker Representatives  

Ruth Brady, GMB

Neil Butler, National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers

Peter Hughes, Unite the Union

Gareth Lloyd, University and College Union

Shavanah Taj, Wales TUC Cymru

Jess Turner, UNISON

Mike Walker, Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers

Helen Whyley, Royal College of Nursing

Darren Williams, Public and Commercial Services Union

Employer Representatives   

Pippa Britton, Voluntary Sector

Dame Elan Closs-Stephens, Public Leaders Forum

Ben Cottam, Federation of Small Businesses

Councillor Anthony Hunt, Welsh Local Government Association

Professor Wendy Larner, Cardiff University

Ian Price, Confederation of British Industry Wales

Nicola Prygodzicz, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

Janis Richards, Make UK Ltd

Kathryn Robson, Adult Learning Wales

I would like to thank all the nominating bodies for submitting such a strong and diverse field of nominees and the newly appointed members for accepting my invitation to join the Social Partnership Council . 

Members are appointed for a three-year term which began on 1 December. The Social Partnership Council will meet a minimum of three times each year, with the first meeting taking place in early 2024.

The Social Partnership Council will work in an open and transparent way. Information and advice provided to Welsh Ministers, meeting papers and minutes, will be published in all but exceptional circumstances. The Social Partnership Council will have a dedicated website where this information will be accessible. 

The Social Partnership Council embeds social partnership at the heart of the Welsh Government, and I am confident that working closely and constructively with employers and workers representatives in this way will enable us to realise mutually beneficial improvements in equality, fairness and wellbeing in workplaces across Wales.