Cabinet Sub-Committee on Cost of Living meeting: 7 November 2022

• Rt. Hon. Mark Drakeford MS
• Jane Hutt MS (Chair)
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Mick Antoniw MS
• Eluned Morgan MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Julie James MS
• Julie Morgan MS
• Hannah Blythyn MS

External attendees

• Sumina Azam, Public Health Wales

Officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Des Clifford, Director Office of the First Minister
• Will Whiteley, Head of Cabinet Division
• Jane Runeckles, Special Adviser
• Alex Bevan, Special Adviser
• Kate Edmonds, Special Adviser
• Jo-Anne Daniels, Director General Education, Social Justice and Welsh Language
• Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, COVID-19 recovery and Local Government
• Judith Paget, Director General, H&SS
• Jo Salway, Director Social Partnership and Fair Work
• Claire Bennett, Director Communities and Tackling Poverty
• Toby Mason, Head of Strategic Communications
• Catrin Sully, Cabinet Office
• Liz Lalley, Director, Recovery & Re-start
• Maureen Howell, Deputy Director, Tackling Poverty and Supporting Families
• Tom Smithson, Deputy Director COVID recovery and Local Government Group
• Emma Watkins, Deputy Director, Budget and Government Business
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat (Minutes)

1.1 Croesawodd y Gweinidog Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol Dr Sumina Azam o Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru a gwahodd i gyflwyno i'r grŵp. The Minister for Social Justice welcomed Dr Sumina Azam from Public Health Wales to the meeting and invited her to present to the group.

1.2 Public Health Wales had conducted research into the ways in which the cost-of-living crisis could impact on health and well-being. They have looked through a public health lens to identify short- and longer-term actions for policy makers to protect and promote the health and well-being of people in Wales in the response to the crisis.

1.3 The key issue identified in the work, which would lead to health inequalities, was that people’s wages and welfare payments were not keeping pace with rising living costs such as energy, fuel, housing, and food costs. Businesses and public services were also seeing their budgets stretched in the face of rising costs.

1.4 The crisis meant more people were unable to afford the essentials, which had significant and wide-ranging negative impacts on mental and physical health. These could have long-term consequences for the people affected and the systems and services that were needed to support them.

1.5 The crisis was accelerating what were already increasing differences in health between those on the higher and lower income scales.

1.6 It was noted this was not just a temporary economic squeeze, but a long-term public health issue affecting the entire population. The impact on health and well-being in Wales had the potential to put it on the same scale as the COVID-19 pandemic, which had already exacerbated existing inequalities in Wales.

1.7 Furthermore, those already struggling would be the hardest hit, including families living in poverty, children, people living with disabilities and older people.

1.8 The committee thanked Dr Sumina Azam for her presentation.

2.1 Cytunodd y Pwyllgor cofnodion o’r cyfarfodydd ar 10, 17 a’r 24 Hydref. The Committee agreed the minutes of the 10, 17 and 24 October.

3.1 The Minister for Social Justice introduced the paper, which asked the Committee to agree rapid work be undertaken to assess the relative priority of emerging cost of living proposals and to note in-year issues for homelessness prevention and emergency accommodation support.

3.2 The committee noted the paper.

Cabinet Secretariat
November 2022