Cabinet meeting: 17 June 2024

• Rt. Hon. Vaughan Gething MS (Chair)
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Lesley Griffiths MS
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS
• Jane Hutt MS
• Julie James MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Eluned Morgan MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
• Ken Skates MS
• Mick Antoniw MS
   
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Jayne Bryant MS
• Sarah Murphy MS

Officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Rachel Garside-Jones, Interim Director Office of the First Minister
• Matthew Hall, Head of Cabinet Division
• Victoria Jones, Principal Private Secretary, First Minister
• Toby Mason, Head of Strategic Communications
• Catrin Sully, Head of Cabinet Office
• Alex Bevan, Special Adviser
• David Hagendyk, Special Adviser (absent item 4)
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Darren Griffiths, Special Adviser
• Haf Davies, Special Adviser
• Sara Faye, Special Adviser
• Sam Hadley, Special Adviser
• David Hooson, Special Adviser
• Phillipa Marsden, Special Adviser
• Owen Jones, Special Adviser
• Maddie Rees, Special Adviser
• Victoria Solomon, Special Adviser
• Mary Wimbury, Special Adviser
• Tom Woodward, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Kathryn Hallett, First Minister’s Office
• Helena Bird, Permanent Secretary’s Office
• Nia James, Director Legal Services
• Tracey Burke, Director General Climate Change & Rural Affairs
• Sioned Evans, Director General, Public Services and Welsh Language Group
• Tim Moss, Chief Operating Officer
• Judith Paget, Director General Health and Social Services
• Andrew Slade, Director General, Economy, Treasury and Constitution

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 3 Mehefin / Cabinet approved the minutes of 3 June.

Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill

2.1 The First Minister provided Cabinet with an update on the status of the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill. Both the Reform Bill and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committees had published their reports on 7th June, which had comprised of 47 recommendations.

2.2 The Reform Bill, by majority, recommended that the Senedd should support the general principles of the Bill, while recognising that the proposed quota model was broadly reflective of international best practice and was fit for purpose in Wales.

2.3 Both committees had made a number of recommendations that would require further consideration, including engaging with the Llywydd and the UK government on legislative competence, after the UK Parliamentary election.

2.4 In addition, both committees had raised concerns about the potential disruption to the outcome of the 2026 Senedd election, should provisions be implemented in advance, and in parallel with the wider Senedd reform measures.

2.5 The government had made clear, when the Bill was introduced, that the committees’ views would form a central part of the consideration of the next steps of the Bill.

2.6 Therefore, the government had decided to delay the Stage 1 debate on the general principles of the Bill until 16 July, in order to give due consideration to the reports and respond as fully as possible ahead of the debate. The Trefnydd had written to the chairs of the scrutiny committees, copied to the Llywydd, the previous Friday to inform them of this decision.

Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee

2.7 The First Minister advised Cabinet that he would be attending the Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee on Wednesday for their annual scrutiny of Welsh Government International Relations.

The Signing of the Care Experienced Declaration

2.8 Also on Wednesday, the First Minister, along with the Minister for Social Care, would be signing the Care Experienced Declaration for Young People. The Cabinet Secretary for Education, the Minister for Mental Health & Early Years and the Trefnydd and Chief Whip would also be attending the event.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary grid and noted that voting time on Tuesday was scheduled for 5:05pm and around 6:25pm on Wednesday. It was reported that an oral statement on Wales’ World Class Recycling had replaced the Stage 1 debate Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill.

3.2 Cabinet noted that the Senedd would be debating a motion to introduce a Member-led British Sign language Bill on Wednesday.

Cabinet Secretariat
June 2024