Asked by: Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, the Secretary of State for Wales has to meet with the Welsh Government to discuss continuing support for Opera in Wales.
Answered by Lord Katz - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I congratulate Welsh National Opera on its 80th anniversary and pay tribute to its longstanding contribution to opera and the arts.
Culture in Wales is a devolved matter and responsibility for cultural policy in Wales sits with the Welsh Government. Welsh National Opera currently receives £4,267,620 per annum from Arts Council England, reflecting the 5% uplift applied to all National Portfolio Organisations from April 2026, reflecting the National Opera’s contribution across the UK.
The UK Government and Welsh Government work together on a range of issues of importance to the people of Wales. The Wales Office will continue to champion Wales across the UK Government, including supporting opportunities for Wales's world-renowned cultural organisations to thrive and succeed.
Asked by: Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings have taken place between the UK and Welsh governments since May 8 2026.
Answered by Lord Katz - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since the formation of the new Welsh Government after the Senedd election in May 2026, UK Government ministers have engaged with their Welsh Government counterparts on matters within their areas of responsibility. This includes the Prime Minister’s initial engagement with the First Minister of Wales following his appointment on 20 July. The newly appointed Secretary of State for Wales will also have an early conversation with the First Minister.
The UK Government publishes an intergovernmental relations dashboard on GOV.UK detailing the number of ministerial meetings between the governments. Data for the number of meetings during the first two quarters of 2026 will be published in due course.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether her Department has appointed anyone from outside the civil service other than special advisers since July 2024.
Answered by Jo Stevens
Since July 2024, my Department has made one public appointment to a Non-Executive Director role.
Candidates that have been successfully appointed to a public appointment (whether regulated or unregulated) are generally announced on the Public Appointments Service announcements page. Candidates that have been successfully appointed to a direct ministerial appointment are generally announced on the Direct Ministerial Appointments Announcement portal.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many agency staff were employed by her Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jo Stevens
In the last five years, my Department has employed seven agency staff. The annual breakdown is set out below.
2025: 0
2024: 0
2023: 2
2022: 0
2021: 5
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps she is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of extreme temperatures in Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens
The levers to mitigate the impact of extreme temperatures in Wales are a mixture of devolved and reserved responsibilities. Climate change adaptation is generally devolved in Wales.
The Met Office (a UK Government Agency of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) provides warnings for extreme heat and has a network of civil contingency advisors across all parts of the UK to help local councils make decisions during periods of severe weather which includes a team dedicated to Wales. The Welsh Government is also represented in civil contingency structures for severe heat emergencies.
The UK Government is tackling the potential impact of extreme temperatures by electrifying Britain and delivering clean, homegrown energy, which will also unlock greater energy security, lower bills for good, cleaner air and thousands of good jobs.
The Government has set the next achievable and pragmatic target for long-term emissions reduction, Carbon Budget 7, building on the framework that has secured billions of private investment and economic growth since 2008.
Since July 2024, over £100 billion of private investment has been announced in UK clean energy industries. The UK’s net zero economy now underpins the jobs of 1.1 million UK workers, according to the CBI report published in June 2026. The UK Government is taking action to deliver clean energy in Wales – we are progressing the UK’s first SMRs at Wylfa, supporting The Crown Estate’s Leasing Round 5 which will deliver up to 4.5GW of floating wind in the Celtic Sea, and secured a contract for the Awel y Môr offshore wind project.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when she last met with representatives of the glass sector to discuss the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answered by Jo Stevens
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 18 June 2026 (UIN 8620).
Asked by: David Reed (Conservative - Exmouth and Exeter East)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings her Department has held with the Welsh Government in the last 12 months on coordinating resilience planning for risks that span reserved and devolved responsibilities.
Answered by Jo Stevens
Resilience is a shared responsibility between individuals, communities, businesses and all levels of government across the UK to ensure we can effectively respond to risks wherever they occur.
Regular meetings take place between the four governments to discuss various strategies and frameworks aimed at strengthening resilience and identifying opportunities for greater collaboration. This complements the everyday collaboration between the UK and Devolved Governments on risk and resilience.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on Welsh livestock numbers.
Answered by Anna McMorrin - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
I have regular discussions with the farming unions on a range of matters. While agriculture is devolved to the Welsh Government, the farming unions are a key partner for the Wales Office and both the Secretary of State and I are committed to working with them and maintaining an active dialogue.
In April of this year, I met with the National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru and I joined the then Farming Minister in a meeting with the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW). Separately, I met with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) in May.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs is informed when Welsh Government ministers meet foreign diplomats; whether permission is sought for such meetings; and whether (i) her Department and (ii) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs are informed of the content of those meetings.
Answered by Jo Stevens
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works closely with the Wales Office to monitor and support the Welsh Government’s international engagement on devolved matters.
The FCDO provides support and guidance when the Welsh Government chooses to advise UK Government of these meetings, and where it is appropriate to do so. The FCDO also works to ensure that foreign diplomats are aware of the respective responsibilities of the UK and Devolved Governments.
The Wales Office also engages directly with the FCDO overseas network to support ministerial and official investment missions. For the second year in a row, the UK Government has overseen an increase in the number of foreign investments coming into Wales, alongside a rise in the number of jobs created or protected. The new £2.4m Brand Wales programme will enhance our promotion of Wales' Trade and Investment opportunities.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on their meetings with foreign ambassadors.
Answered by Jo Stevens
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works closely with the Wales Office to monitor and support the Welsh Government’s international engagement on devolved matters.
The FCDO provides support and guidance when the Welsh Government chooses to advise UK Government of these meetings, and where it is appropriate to do so. The FCDO also works to ensure that foreign diplomats are aware of the respective responsibilities of the UK and Devolved Governments.
The Wales Office also engages directly with the FCDO overseas network to support ministerial and official investment missions. For the second year in a row, the UK Government has overseen an increase in the number of foreign investments coming into Wales, alongside a rise in the number of jobs created or protected. The new £2.4m Brand Wales programme will enhance our promotion of Wales' Trade and Investment opportunities.