Wales Office

Whilst Health is a devolved matter, I have regular engagement with colleagues from the Department of Health and Social Care and Welsh Government. Ministers and officials work closely with their counterparts through established intergovernmental structures, including the Interministerial Group for Health. Both the UK and Welsh Governments support improvements in patient access and drive down waiting lists as a key priority. NHS England and Wales jointly published a Statement of Values and Principles for cross-border healthcare which sets a clear expectation that patients living in defined border areas should receive care without delay or administrative burden, with the aim of delivering faster, improved and more equitable health outcomes for all patients.

Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

No civil servants in my Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024 or 2025.

The Wales Office has fifty staff and is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner. To this end, there have been:

No employees placed on a Performance Improvement Plan in 2023/24, one in 2024/25, and none in 2025/26.

Those who cannot improve their performance, despite this additional support, may be dismissed.

The UK Government remains firmly committed to establishing a thriving hydrogen sector across the UK, including in Wales. The Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HARs) are a flagship government funding mechanism to support low carbon hydrogen across the UK.

Under Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 (HAR1), two out of the eleven successful projects were awarded in Wales. These include the HyBont project in Bridgend and the West Wales Hydrogen project in Milford Haven. I was pleased to recently host an event with Minister Shanks to mark the West Wales Hydrogen Project reaching its Final Investment Decision.

As part of Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2), three Welsh projects were shortlisted in April 2025, located in Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Magor. I will continue to work with colleagues across government to ensure that Wales is positioned at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy mission to secure the maximum economic benefits and high-quality jobs.

The total value of severance payments is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.

The re-establishment of a Welsh Development Agency is a matter which falls within the remit of the Welsh Government. The Wales Office is heavily engaged in supporting a coordinated approach toward investors between UK Government, Welsh Government, Corporate Joint Committees, and local authorities in Wales.

In 2024-2025, 65 new Foreign Direct Investment projects in Wales created 2,470 new jobs - an increase of 30% on the previous year in terms of new jobs created. Wales now lands nearly 5% of all inward investment projects in the UK, up from 3.4% in 2023/2024. The Wales Office recently launched a new programme of activity which will further improve coordination of how Wales is marketed to the world.

Economic Growth is the number one mission of this Government and our Industrial Strategy is delivering that for Wales – from Freeports and Investment Zones, to Artificial Intelligence (AI) Growth Zones and a Defence Growth Deal, we are creating the right conditions for business to grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across Wales.

Apprenticeships are a valuable tool for improving skills, productivity, and social mobility, whilst also supporting the development of our workforce. My Department continues to offer apprenticeships whenever a suitable vacancy arises.

My Department recruited three apprentices in 2022, three in 2023, and none in 2024 or 2025.

The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. Wales Office officials regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security and defence.

A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.

A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including Government Departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments represented in the Government Statistical Service.

The ONS have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.

Officials from the Wales Office regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.

A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including Government Departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments represented in the Government Statistical Service.

The ONS have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.

No staff in my Department are reliant on a visa for employment.

I have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.

The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

I have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The increased defence budget will help both grow our economy and our thriving defence sector in Wales.

I was pleased to welcome the Defence Secretary to Cardiff Castle with the First Minister to sign our landmark £50m Wales Defence Growth Deal.

Focused on autonomous defence technology, the deal will help make defence an engine for growth, boosting innovation, SME support and high-skilled jobs in Wales.

The increased defence budget will help both grow our economy and our thriving defence sector in Wales.

I was pleased to welcome the Defence Secretary to Cardiff Castle with the First Minister to sign our landmark £50m Wales Defence Growth Deal.

Focused on autonomous defence technology, the deal will help make defence an engine for growth, boosting innovation, SME support and high-skilled jobs in Wales.

I was pleased to join the Prime Minister in Taffs Well earlier this month to announce seven new stations in Wales and a generational funding commitment to the Welsh rail network and a pipeline of projects valued at £14 billion.

The Prime Minister endorsed Transport for Wales’ vision for the future of rail in Wales, which will transform Welsh rail and support 12,000 jobs.

This Government is backing Wales to lead the UK’s clean energy mission.

Our recent Contracts for Difference scheme successfully secured contracts for Wales’ first floating windfarm Erebus, the Awel-y-Mor offshore windfarm in North Wales, and 20 onshore wind, tidal stream and solar projects.

As well as our investment to deliver SMRs at Wylfa, these projects will deliver thousands of good, green jobs across every part of Wales, drive economic growth and bring down bills.

The National Year of Reading, a DfE initiative, aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change. The National Year of Reading includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year.

In Wales, the bilingual campaign will build on work already underway to support schools, learners and families, to improve literacy standards and nurture a lasting habit of enjoying reading. The campaign will encourage people to ‘Go all in’/ Ymgolli’ and enjoy reading. The National Year of Reading offers further opportunity to celebrate and promote the love of reading in both English and Welsh, showcasing the rich linguistic landscape and encouraging more people to discover, enjoy and engage with literature in the language of their choice.

As Education is devolved, the Welsh Government is working with partners such as schools, local authorities, public libraries, and community groups across Wales to promote a love of reading and deliver a campaign to nurture lifelong reading habits. These partners play a vital role in the campaign and will take part in events across the year to showcase the joy of reading to people of all ages. The campaign also aligns with Estyn’s enhanced focus on reading, which will see the inspectorate working with all education providers to prioritise improving the reading skills of all learners in Wales.

Transport for Wales published the Wales Rail Board’s vision for rail enhancements on 18 February. Transport for Wales estimates that the total cost of schemes under consideration to be up to £14 billion, and the UK Government has endorsed this vision. This joint plan with the Welsh Government establishes a framework for a comprehensive pipeline of enhancements and confirms the UK Government and Welsh Government will work in partnership to deliver these schemes as quickly as possible. This is a generational commitment to modernise Welsh rail and further UK Government funding allocations will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews.

This commitment began at the Spending Review in June 2025, when the Chancellor announced that the UK Government will allocate at least £445 million to rail enhancements in Wales, the vast majority of which will be spent during this Spending Review period. This will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, including five of the Burns Stations - connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales. This includes £48 million for the Welsh Government to deliver upgrades on the Core Valley Lines.

With regard to Cardiff Parkway, the UK Government has agreed an approach with the Welsh Government and private investors to take the project forward, with additional UK Government funding made available to deliver the station. The exact funding contribution from each partner and timeline for the station’s delivery will depend on subsequent development work.

UK and Welsh Government have worked with the North Wales Growth Deal, Ambition North Wales, who have agreed to co-fund the improvements to the main line arrangements into the Padeswood cement works freight facility. This will provide a seamless movement for freight trains off the main line and into the cement works rather than the time-consuming current movements. This funding will enable UK Government to use its existing funding agreed at the Spending Review to take forward further schemes on this line, including an additional station to service Deeside Industrial Park, and safety, capacity and line speed improvements at Buckley.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: Prime Minister announces seven new stations and major rail funding commitment - GOV.UK

Transport for Wales published the Wales Rail Board’s vision for rail enhancements on 18 February. Transport for Wales estimates that the total cost of schemes under consideration to be up to £14 billion, and the UK Government has endorsed this vision. This joint plan with the Welsh Government establishes a framework for a comprehensive pipeline of enhancements and confirms the UK Government and Welsh Government will work in partnership to deliver these schemes as quickly as possible. This is a generational commitment to modernise Welsh rail and further UK Government funding allocations will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews.

This commitment began at the Spending Review in June 2025, when the Chancellor announced that the UK Government will allocate at least £445 million to rail enhancements in Wales, the vast majority of which will be spent during this Spending Review period. This will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, including five of the Burns Stations, connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales. With regard to Cardiff Parkway, the UK Government has agreed an approach with the Welsh Government and private investors to take the project forward, with additional UK Government funding made available to deliver the station. The exact funding contribution from each partner and timeline for the station’s delivery will depend on subsequent development work.

UK and Welsh Government have worked with the North Wales Growth Deal, Ambition North Wales, who have agreed to co-fund the improvements to the main line arrangements into the Padeswood cement works freight facility. This will provide a seamless movement for freight trains off the main line and into the cement works rather than the time-consuming current movements.

This funding will enable UK Government to use its existing funding agreed at the Spending Review to take forward further schemes on this line, including an additional station to service Deeside Industrial Park, and safety, capacity and line speed improvements at Buckley.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: Prime Minister announces seven new stations and major rail funding commitment - GOV.UK

The Wales Rail Board has developed its long-term vision for rail enhancement investment in Wales, which was published last week by Transport for Wales as part of its document titled ‘Today, Tomorrow, Together: A Vision for Wales across Wales and Borders’.

The Wales Rail Board is an intergovernmental board that will oversee the delivery of this pipeline of projects. Its membership includes the Wales Office, Department for Transport, Network Rail, Welsh Government and Transport for Wales.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: Prime Minister announces seven new stations and major rail funding commitment - GOV.UK

Heavy rail is reserved in Wales, so Barnett consequentials do not apply to its funding.

The UK Government is working in partnership with the Welsh Government and industry stakeholders to fund and deliver improvements to rail in Wales as quickly as possible.

Transport for Wales published the Wales Rail Board’s vision for rail enhancements on 18 February. Transport for Wales estimates that the total cost of schemes under consideration to be up to £14 billion, and the UK Government has endorsed this vision. This joint plan with the Welsh Government establishes a framework for a comprehensive pipeline of enhancements and confirms the UK Government and Welsh Government will work in partnership to deliver these schemes as quickly as possible. This is a generational commitment to modernise Welsh rail and further UK Government funding allocations will be confirmed at future Spending Reviews.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: Prime Minister announces seven new stations and major rail funding commitment - GOV.UK

My Department does not employ any HR Directors; However, my Department’s Chief People Officer has responsibility for overseeing Human Resources and holds professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

My Department works closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and the Welsh Government to deliver for the people of Wales across a range of shared priorities.

The National Year of Reading, a DfE initiative, aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change, during 2026 and beyond. The National Year of Reading includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools, and early years settings throughout the year.

In Wales, the bilingual campaign will build on work already underway to support schools, learners and families, to improve literacy standards and nurture a lasting habit of enjoying reading. The campaign will encourage people to ‘Go all in’/ Ymgolli’ and enjoy reading. The National Year of Reading offers further opportunity to celebrate and promote the love of reading in both English and Welsh, showcasing the rich linguistic landscape and encouraging more people to discover, enjoy and engage with literature in the language of their choice.

As Education is devolved, the Welsh Government is working with partners such as schools, local authorities, public libraries, and community groups across Wales to promote a love of reading and deliver a campaign to nurture lifelong reading habits. These partners play a vital role in the campaign and will take part in events across the year to showcase the joy of reading to people of all ages. The campaign also aligns with Estyn’s enhanced focus on reading, which will see the inspectorate working with all education providers to prioritise improving the reading skills of all learners in Wales.

Staff in my Department are employed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which provides payroll services on our behalf.

The MoJ does not currently operate a payroll‑deduction facility for credit union membership, however, staff who wish to join a credit union can already do so independently. My department continues to support staff financial wellbeing through the MoJ’s wider financial wellbeing offer, which provides access to information, tools, and advice.

I have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a range of issues, including this Government’s historic investment in Welsh rail.

The UK Government has announced at least £445 million for rail enhancements in Wales, to right years of underfunding by previous Conservative Governments and unleash Wales’ economic potential.

This will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales.

The UK Government will set out more detail on the pipeline of projects that we will deliver very shortly.

The UK Government has announced at least £445 million for rail enhancements in Wales, to right years of underfunding by previous Conservative Governments and unleash Wales’ economic potential.

The vast majority of this investment will be spent in this Spending Review period, with a small amount profiled beyond this Spending Review period to help the development of the next set of projects.

This will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales.

The UK Government will set out more detail on the pipeline of projects that we will deliver very shortly.

Estimated Operations, Maintenance and Renewals (OMR) expenditure for Wales during Control Period (CP) 7 is broken down as follows:

2024-25 - £502 million

2025-26 - £447 million

2026-27 - £503 million

2027-28 - £499 million

2028-29 - £487 million

In addition to this, the UK Government has announced at least £445 million for rail enhancements in Wales, to right years of underfunding by previous Conservative Governments and unleash Wales’ economic potential.

This will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales.

The UK Government will set out more detail on the pipeline of projects that we will deliver very shortly.

The UK Government has announced at least £445 million for rail enhancements in Wales, to right years of underfunding by previous Conservative Governments and unleash Wales’ economic potential. The vast majority of this investment will be spent in this Spending Review period.

This investment will mean new stations, more and faster trains on the key lines across North and South Wales, connecting people with the new, well-paid jobs we are creating across Wales.

The UK Government will set out more detail on the pipeline of projects that we will deliver very shortly.

The Secretary of State for Wales and her Cabinet colleagues engage with Welsh Ministers frequently on a wide range of issues, including the future of devolution in key policy areas. Established intergovernmental mechanisms also provide ongoing opportunities for the UK and Welsh Governments to engage on matters relating to policing, and to ensure that Welsh priorities are fully considered within the existing devolution settlement.

The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including the Welsh devolution settlement. It is in our shared interests that the settlement clearly defines the responsibilities of our respective governments and that it delivers for the people of Wales.

I have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a wide range of policy issues, including on the devolution settlement. Unlike Plaid Cymru, who wish to force their costly, separatist ideology on the people of Wales, Labour is the party of devolution. We created devolution, we defend devolution from parties who wish to destroy it, and we will always update the devolution settlement to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for people and communities across Wales.

The Wales Office does not provide any direct financial support to the Minister for the Union.

Labour is the party of devolution in Wales and Westminster. The Secretary of State for Wales and her Cabinet colleagues engage with Welsh Ministers frequently on a wide range of issues, including the future of devolution in key policy areas. This engagement is part of our reset relationship with the Welsh Government based on co-operation and partnership, through which we can achieve and deliver more for people in Wales.

Labour is the party of devolution in Wales and Westminster. I and all UK Government ministers engage with the Welsh Ministers frequently on a wide range of issues, including the future of devolution in key policy areas. This engagement is part of our reset relationship with the Welsh Government based on co-operation and partnership, through which we can achieve and deliver more for people in Wales.

The cost to the public purse is zero as the Department has not undertaken any feasibility studies in the last five years.

The Welsh Government’s Visitor Levy could raise up to £33 million a year to reinvest in local communities and support tourism, reflecting the strength of the sector.

We have announced that a similar overnight levy will be introduced in England, building on the example set by Wales.

Family farms and the wider agricultural sector play a vital role across our communities. I'm pleased that this Government has been able to deliver the largest funding settlement to Welsh Government to enable them to support our farming communities.

This Government is investing to unlock growth, create jobs and improve the cost of living.

We are creating thousands of jobs in every corner of Wales. This includes huge investment into new nuclear power in Wylfa, two new AI Growth Zones, a Defence Growth Deal, two Freeports, two Investment Zones, and investment into our semiconductor sector in South Wales.

I have regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the cost of living in Wales. We took decisive action in the budget by scrapping the Two Child Limit, extending the fuel duty freeze, uprating the Universal Credit Standard Allowance and increasing the State Pension.

This was a Labour budget, with Labour values at its heart. We are determined to do whatever it takes to improve the cost of living for families across Wales.

Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.

Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements.

We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.

The Government is following the process to assess the Welsh Government’s proposal for an exclusion from the UK Internal Market Act as set out in the UK Internal Market Act Review published in July 2025. The Government has been engaging with stakeholders to gather evidence and feedback on the impact of the proposal on the UK internal market in order to inform its response to the Welsh Government’s proposal. The Government is working at pace to be able to communicate its position within the Resources & Waste Common Framework, in line with the processes set out in the 2025 Review.

Over the last three financial years, the department spent the following on advertising:

2023-24: Nil

2024-25: £20,248.40

2025-26 to date: £26,751.60

The advertising spend was on the UK Government campaign to promote the availability of the UK Government and Tata Steel Transition Board funding. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the support available to steelworkers affected by the decarbonisation transition at Tata Steel UK in Port Talbot, including access to skills funding for those leaving the business. It also highlighted funding opportunities for local businesses impacted by the transition.

There has been no spend on marketing during this period.