Wales Office

No staff in my Department have been seconded from Hakluyt since July 2024.

No officials from my Department have been seconded from the Institute for Economic Affairs, the Policy Exchange, the Adam Smith Institute or Labour Together since July 2024.

These areas were identified based on a clear and transparent methodology, which considered a range of socio-economic factors, including:

• Indices of multiple deprivation
• Population size
• Healthy life expectancy
• Gross Value Added (GVA) per hour worked
• Skill levels

A detailed methodology note outlining the selection criteria is publicly available on the GOV.UK website.

The long-term Plan for Towns programme was not fully funded by the previous government. As part of its Plan for Neighbourhoods, this Government is committed to ensuring that each of the five selected towns in Wales will receive up to £20 million in funding and support over the next decade.

We will work in partnership with the Welsh Government on the Plan for Neighbourhoods to make sure it aligns with the Welsh Governments work to regenerate neighbourhoods. This funding will be used to revitalise high streets, enhance local parks, support libraries, cultural venues, and youth clubs, and invest in essential community services to create thriving, well-connected neighbourhoods.

The estimated cost of maintaining the Wales Offices in London and Cardiff are £622k in 2024-25 and £769k in 2025-26.

The Wales Office does not procure food directly.

The Government is steadfastly committed to the farming sector. We protected the farm budget at its current level and allocated £337m to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget.

The Welsh Government in their budget have used this to maintain the Basic Payment Scheme at its current level for another year, providing much needed support for farmers across Wales….a budget as he knows that his party supported, whilst Tory and Plaid Cymru Senedd members tried to block it.

Our Plan for Change will turn the UK into a clean energy superpower.

In just the last two weeks, I was very pleased to announce Copenhagen Infrastructure Partner’s £600m investment into Bute Energy and GreenGen Cymru.

This will contribute significantly to the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambition of doubling onshore wind and Welsh Government targets for green electricity by 2035.

I’m thrilled that our Wales Women’s football team has qualified for the Euros for the first time, and I wish them all the very best for their games, especially the one against the Lionesses on 13 July.

We are working closely with the Welsh Government to take full advantage of this unique opportunity to promote Wales as a first-class destination for international investment and tourism.

Kickstarting economic growth is at the heart of our Plan for Change. Since coming into government, I have worked with UK and Welsh Government colleagues to drive over £1.5 billion in private investment from the likes of Eren Holding and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners into Wales, creating hundreds of jobs and laying the ground for thousands more.

Kickstarting economic growth is at the heart of our Plan for Change. Since coming into government, I have worked with UK and Welsh Government colleagues to drive over £1.5 billion in private investment from the likes of Eren Holding and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners into Wales, creating hundreds of jobs and laying the ground for thousands more.

The Government communicates across a range of media channels in order to reach its target audience effectively. Channels are selected based on whether they will reach the intended audience on a specific issue to have the most impact.

Social media is an essential part of government communications and is used to inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.

The Department holds 4 social media accounts. The Department has a nil spend on social media subscriptions, or advertisements on social media platforms, in the last 3 years.

The UK’s world leading Higher Education sector makes a vital contribution, as both education and research institutions, to our economy, to society, to industry and to innovation.

The Secretary of State for Wales has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including Higher Education. The Department for Education has engaged at both official and ministerial level with the Welsh Government regarding plans for Higher Education reform and financial sustainability and will continue to do so.

We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future. Our two Governments are already learning from best practice in areas such as the Welsh Government’s work on dentistry and GP practices, and in the UK Government’s plans to roll out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs. We will continue to explore cross-border health arrangements where capacity allows.

In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26.

I welcome the news that waiting times in Wales are heading in the right direction. We will continue to support the Welsh Government to deliver improved public services for the people of Wales as we did with record funding in the Autumn Budget.

I regularly meet with the First Minister to discuss a wide range of matters, including health and NHS waiting lists in Wales. Our two Governments are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration.

In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26.

I welcome the news that waiting times in Wales are heading in the right direction. We will continue to support the Welsh Government to deliver improved public services for the people of Wales as we did with record funding in the Autumn Budget.

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters.

DCMS, as the lead department, are seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, DCMS has established a stakeholder forum which will take views on this topic from a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.

No staff from Palantir have been seconded into my Department since July 2024.

There are no requirements for civil servants in the Wales Office to book a desk in advance when attending the office workplaces. The Office does not have any arm’s length bodies.

The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including our shared ambition for floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea, and the role of the Crown Estate therein.

The Crown Estate has played a significant role in attracting international investment into Wales to support the UK's net zero target and will continue to do so, particularly through leasing rounds for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. The Crown Estate is key to the £1.4 billion investment and over 5,000 jobs that this government wants to enable from floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea.

The Crown Estate works closely with the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales in support of shared priorities, ensuring that these resources are sustainably managed for the long term.

The UK Government’s focus is on taking maximum advantage of this opportunity for Wales. I was therefore pleased that the Secretary of State for Wales worked with Lords Livermore and Hain to agree an amendment to The Crown Estate Bill in the House of Lords that will appoint a Commissioner with special responsibility for Wales. This will ensure the interests of Wales are fully reflected in The Crown Estate’s work.

Nothing. The Wales Office has not spent any money on external public relations since 5 July 2024.

Growth is the number one mission of the government, and our new industrial strategy is central to that mission. The Industrial Strategy will drive growth, create a pro-business environment and support high-potential clusters across the UK, including cross border clusters.

I regularly meet the First Minister to discuss a variety of issues, including economic growth and the Industrial Strategy.

In addition, officials from the Wales Office, the Department for Business and Trade, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Welsh Government and HM Treasury are working closely on the Industrial Strategy. This work includes active consideration of opportunities that straddle the border between England and Wales.

None. The Wales Office does not have any contracts with BFS Group Limited or its subsidiary companies.

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. The Minister for Veterans and People is working across Government to ensure veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing, as well as health, employment and other areas.

As housing is a devolved matter, we are working with the Welsh Government and the other Devolved Governments to tackle the shared challenge of homelessness.

This Government has financed the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme, which funds wrap-around support in units of supported housing. Since its inception in July 2023, it has awarded £1,380,214 to providers offering services in Wales.

Veterans in need of housing support can contact their local council or Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect veterans with help and support. This system provides housing guidance and assistance to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness across the UK. As of 19 January 2025, over 3,069 referrals have been made and nearly 870 veterans have been supported into housing.

This Government’s Contracts for Difference Scheme is supporting seven tidal, solar and onshore wind projects.

Great British Energy’s partnership with The Crown Estate will support floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.

And last week, in collaboration with the Welsh Government, we announced that Pembrokeshire will receive around £1 million under the Regional Skills Pilot to identify the skills needed to deliver Clean Power by 2030. Another example of the benefits of two Labour governments delivering for people in Wales.

The Crown Estate is key to the £1.4 billion investment and over 5,000 jobs that this government wants to secure from floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. It works closely with the Welsh Government to ensure Wales is at the cutting edge of this growing sector.

Our total focus is on taking maximum advantage of this opportunity for Wales, using levers within the existing devolution settlement.

The UK Government is committed to strengthening our democracy, widening participation, and upholding the integrity of elections.

The Interministerial Group on Elections, which will meet next week, provides a regular forum for the UK Government and the Devolved Governments to discuss our shared ambitions.

All dismissals are handled in line with current legislation and appropriate Codes of Practice. Where an employee feels they may have been unfairly dismissed, appropriate internal appeal routes may be instigated.

Where an employee is unable to solve a problem internally, they may be able to go to an employment tribunal to claim unfair dismissal, as set out in legislation.

This position will be reviewed when unfair dismissal rights are updated in line with proposals in the Employment Rights Bill.

My Department is not an employer in its own right and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provides the Wales Office with employment services and HR policies, such as Paternity Leave.

Some staff could qualify for statutory paternity leave on their first day of service because they already have qualifying service with another Civil Service organisation.

As with any changes to employment legislation, internal policies and processes will be updated as appropriate in preparation for when the Employment Rights Bill 2024 comes into effect.

My Department is not an employer in its own right and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provides the Wales Office with employment services and HR policies, such as Shared Parental Leave.

The Civil Service Management Code states that, ‘Departments and agencies may only grant shared parental leave in accordance with the statutory requirements governing eligibility for this category of leave.’ Some staff could qualify for statutory shared parental leave on their first day of service because they already have service with another department.

As with any changes to employment legislation, internal policies and processes will be updated as appropriate in preparation for when the Employment Rights Bill 2024 comes into effect.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

I am keen to adopt AI across the Department and my officials are in the process of exploring options. For example, the Wales Office Human Resources and Private Office teams are looking at how ‘Microsoft Copilot’ could be used to streamline processes.

None. The Wales Office has not launched any reviews between 5 July 2024 and 5 January 2025.

The Government’s commitments on further devolution were outlined in our manifesto. We have no plans to devolve powers over the civil service to Wales.

There has been no change in the Wales Office’s management of artwork or heritage assets since the previous administration. The Wales Office does not have any arm’s length bodies.

While we have made no formal assessment of the implications of the publication ‘Public Commemoration in Wales: Guidance for Public Bodies’, the Wales Office would consult the guidance, as appropriate, in the context of any activity led by the department on future public commemorations in Wales.

There are no ongoing industrial disputes in my Department and the Wales Office has no arm’s length bodies.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.

Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.

The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.

The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative, and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop, and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on renewable energy projects in Wales. Wales will play an important role in increasing the UK's onshore wind capacity and meeting our Net Zero and energy security ambitions.

The UK Government has set up an Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce to identify and address the barriers to increased onshore wind deployment, including in relation to airspace management and aviation. The government engages regularly with the Welsh Government, who are represented on the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce. Welsh Government officials have been attending the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce Working Group 4: Aviation and Defence. The group is discussing the challenges, opportunities and risks associated with accelerating onshore wind deployment to 2030, relevant to aviation and defence policy.

I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on renewable energy projects in Wales. Wales will play an important role in increasing the UK's onshore wind capacity and meeting our Net Zero and energy security ambitions.

The UK Government has set up an Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce to identify and address the barriers to increased onshore wind deployment, including in relation to airspace management and aviation. The government engages regularly with the Welsh Government, who are represented on the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce. Welsh Government officials have been attending the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce Working Group 4: Aviation and Defence. The group is discussing the challenges, opportunities and risks associated with accelerating onshore wind deployment to 2030, relevant to aviation and defence policy.

The Secretary of State for Wales regularly meets with the First Minister to discuss a variety of issues. We have recognised that Wales’s Fiscal Framework is out of date and will be working with Welsh Government to update it. We remain committed to working in partnership to ensure the smooth delivery of the funding settlement.

Autumn Budget delivered the largest settlement for Wales in real terms since devolution at £21 billion. This includes an additional £1.7 billion through the Barnett Formula.

Since 4 July, we have received one piece of correspondence asking for a review of the Barnett Formula.

We are committed to supporting the Welsh Government in ensuring disused coal tips are safe. That is why we allocated £25 million of funding in 2025/6 for essential work being undertaken by the Welsh Government to keep disused coal tips maintained and safe. It is for the Welsh Government to allocate funding and as confirmed in their draft budget, the Welsh Government will do this by expanding the Coal Tip Safety Grant. The Welsh Government, in administering this fund, will work with local authorities in Wales to determine exactly which tips get the money.

The Department has not spent any money on either media or voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.

The Department spent £4,277.25 on refurbishment of Ministers Offices between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024. The spend was on:

£286.76 - replacement of two blind cords with plastic cords;

£3,990.49 - re-upholstering of five leather chairs in the London Office.

The spend was under the previous administration.

The average number of staff attending the Department's HQ building in that period for which figures are available is 15. The Office currently has 24 civil servants assigned to its London Office.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

The Government is committed to supporting both current and retired steelworkers. That is why we are supporting the continuation of steelmaking at Port Talbot and providing up to £100million to support the community through this transition.

The Government is aware of the concerns surrounding the matter of indexation of pre-1997 accruals in the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS), including for former members of the Allied Steel and Wire pension scheme.

Affected members of the FAS have engaged with the Department for Work and Pensions on this issue, and this was a matter considered by the Work and Pensions Select Committee in its recent inquiry into Defined Benefit pensions.

The Minister for Pensions is looking closely at this issue, supported by the Committee’s final report, published in March 2024, which helpfully outlines areas to be considered.

NHS Wales and NHS England have a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment for patients living on the Wales England border. This supports better patient outcomes and avoids fragmentation of care for those people living either side of the border. Further detail on the statement is in the link below.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cross-border-statement-of-values-and-principles.pdf