Cabinet meeting: 20 September 2021

• Rt. Hon. Mark Drakeford MS (Chair)
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Vaughan Gething MS
• Lesley Griffiths MS
• Jane Hutt MS
• Julie James MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Eluned Morgan MS
• Mick Antoniw MS

• Dawn Bowden MS
• Hannah Blythyn MS
• Julie Morgan MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
• Lee Waters MS

Officials

• Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary
• Will Whiteley, Deputy Director Cabinet Division
• Toby Mason, Strategic Communications
• Jane Runeckles, Special Adviser
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Alex Bevan, Special Adviser
• Daniel Butler, Special Adviser
• Ian Butler, Special Adviser
• Kate Edmunds, Special Adviser
• Sara Faye, Special Adviser
• Clare Jenkins, Special Adviser
• Andrew Johnson, Special Adviser
• Mitch Theaker, Special Adviser
• Tom Woodward, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Catrin Sully, Cabinet Office
• Helen Lentle, Director Legal Services
• Piers Bisson, Director European Transition Constitution and Justice
• Christopher Warner, Deputy Director Constitutional Affairs & Intergovernmental Relations
• Anna Adams, Deputy Director, Tax Strategy & Intergovernmental Relations
• Gawain Evans, Director Finance
• Sara Cochrane, Head of Grants Centre of Excellence

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 13 & 15 Medi / Cabinet approved the minutes of 13 and 15 September.

2.1 The Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd informed Cabinet that voting time was expected at 5.55pm on Tuesday and around 6.05pm on Wednesday.

2.2 It was noted the government had tabled an amendment to the Plaid Cymru debate, on proposals to establish a four day working week, which had been scheduled for Wednesday. The amendment highlighted the need for the government to consider what progress had been made through pilots in other countries and examine the lessons that could be learnt.

3.1 The First Minister introduced the paper which asked Cabinet to note the latest position on the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Review and the guidance on concurrent powers.

3.2 The end of the IGR Review was almost in sight, with the UK government expected to set out its intention to use the package of reforms, developed jointly by officials, as the basis for future relations. The package provided more robust machinery, an independent secretariat and dispute resolution arrangements.

3.3 Cabinet welcomed and approved the paper.

4.1 The First Minister introduced the paper, which invited Cabinet to agree revisions to the policies relating to Welsh Government grants.

4.2 Officials had been asked to consider the scope for extending the period of time of which a government grant would normally be awarded. It was appropriate for grants to initially be awarded through a competition process but the usual length of time before retendering was often too short and the re-application process too rigid.

4.3 Therefore, it was proposed that there should be the potential to award grant schemes for up to three years and this could be extended for up to a period of a further 3 years, subject to performance and delivery against outcomes.

4.4 Cabinet welcomed the paper, which would provide longer term certainty for recipients specifically within the social care, cultural and third sectors. It would allow them to concentrate on outcomes, rather than preparing for retendering, retain key staff, while avoiding the breaking up of successful delivery processes.

4.5 This would also help deliver the government’s commitments for fair work.

4.6 It was agreed that there should be further engagement with the Third Sector as these proposals were developed. 

4.7 Cabinet approved the paper.