Cabinet meeting: 17 February 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
   
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Sarah Murphy MS
• Vikki Howells MS

Apologies

• Julie James MS
• Jack Sargeant MS

Officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Rachel Garside-Jones, Transition Director Office of the First Minister
• 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
• Wayne David, Special Adviser
• Sarah Dickins, Special Adviser
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Ian Butler, Special Adviser
• Haf Davies, Special Adviser
• Victoria Evans, Special Adviser
• David Hooson, Special Adviser
• Kirsty Keenan, Special Adviser
• Jackie Jones, Special Adviser
• Stephen Jones, Special Adviser
• Philippa Marsden, Special Adviser
• Martha O’Neil, Special Adviser
• Maddie Rees, Special Adviser
• Victoria Solomon, Special Adviser
• Mary Wimbury, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Helena Bird, Permanent Secretary’s office
• Kath Hallett, First Minister’s office
• Tracey Burke, Director General Climate Change & Rural Affairs
• Sioned Evans, Director General, Education, Culture and Welsh Language
• Tim Moss, Chief Operating Officer
• Judith Paget, Director General Health and Social Services
• Andrew Slade, Director General, Economy, Energy and Transport
• Nia James, Director Legal Services
• Andrew Jeffreys, Director Treasury (item 4)
• Emma Watkins, Deputy Director Budget and Government Business (item 4)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 3 a 10 Chwefror 2025 / Cabinet approved the minutes of 3 and 10 February 2025.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning

2.1 The First Minister put on record her thanks to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning who had recently announced that she would be standing down at the next Senedd election.

Meetings and events in London

2.2 The First Minister informed Cabinet that she had attended a number of meetings and events in London the previous week.  

2.3 The First Minister had met with all EU Ambassadors on Wednesday in advance of their visit to Wales in early April.

2.4 While in London the First Minister also had a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.  There was also a meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport, where they discussed the historic underfunding of the rail network in Wales.

Attendance at Welsh Affairs Committee

2.5 On Wednesday the First Minister also attended the Welsh Affairs Committee to provide evidence about her priorities, the work of the Welsh Government and intergovernmental relations.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary Grid and noted the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip would be answering questions on behalf of the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery on Tuesday, who was unwell. Voting time was scheduled for 6pm on Tuesday and would be around 6:25pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to approve the Final Budget package 2025-2026, including MEG level allocations. Cabinet was also asked to agree the key messages to support the Budget and note the next steps in finalising the supporting documentation.

4.2 There were limited changes from the Draft Budget, not least as the UK Treasury had yet to confirm the additional resources it would provide to meet the impact of increased employer national insurance contributions on the public sector.

4.3 However, there had been some increased allocations to the Second Supplementary Budget to respond to emerging in-year underspends, while ensuring that the maximum was carried forward into the next financial year. Of the £50 million being allocated, £18 million would be used to bring forward capital expenditure in transport as well as ensuring the pipeline of future proposals for active travel investment could be sustained. In addition, there would be £32 million for education, to support School Standards through the Local Authority Education Grant, and specifically universities.

4.4 Cabinet welcomed the additional resources outlined in the paper, most of which are associated with the political agreement to enable passage of the Budget.

4.5 Cabinet approved the paper and noted that the Final Budget would be published on Thursday of that week and debated on 4th March.

Cabinet Secretariat
February 2025