National Assembly for Wales

Local authorities have a duty to provide school lunches to eligible learners in secondary school as defined in 512 – 512A of The Education Act 1996. Meals provided under this statutory duty are funded through the Local Government Settlement Revenue Support Grant. This funding is unhypothecated, and not ring-fenced for a specific purpose, as such the detail requested by the member cannot be provided. Details of the Local Government Revenue and Capital Settlements can be found on the Welsh Government website.

The data requested is in the table below and covers pupils of statutory school age in maintained primary, middle, secondary and special schools.

The data is taken from the annual statutory data collection which has been fully validated by schools and is published as official statistics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is no data available for the academic years 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22.

Table 1: Number of days missed due to unauthorised absence, by local authority, 2013/14 to 2023/24

This information is held by individual local authorities in Wales.

This information is held by individual local authorities in Wales.

We don’t hold data on how many schools offer free breakfasts. The Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) contains data on how many pupils received a free breakfast broken down by local authority area, this can be found at the statswales website.

According to 2024 PLASC data, on the day of the census 56,587 primary school aged pupils received a free breakfast (21% of all primary school aged pupils). This is an increase of over 4,900 since 2023, following an increase of over 7,700 between 2022 and 2023.

Local authorities have a duty to provide free breakfasts on each school day for pupils at a primary school maintained by the authority as defined in 88 of The School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013. Breakfasts provided under this statutory duty are funded through the Local Government Settlement Revenue Support Grant. This funding is unhypothecated, and not ring-fenced for a specific purpose, as such the detail requested by the member cannot be provided. Details of the Local Government Revenue and Capital Settlements can be found on the Welsh Government website.

The Welsh Government recognises the significant potential of artificial intelligence in education and is committed to supporting its safe, ethical and responsible use in schools.

Generative AI tools are already being used in schools, and it is essential that we understand this evolving landscape. To inform this work, I have commissioned Estyn to lead a review of how generative AI is currently being used by schools across Wales. The review will help to identify the opportunities and challenges AI presents and ensure our approach is shaped by the experiences of schools and practitioners.

We have published guidance to support schools and practitioners in the responsible use of generative AI. The guidance provides key considerations to inform safe and ethical practice with a clear emphasis on safeguarding and well-being. We have also developed online training to deepen practitioners’ understanding of how generative AI can be used purposefully and effectively in education while also raising awareness of the potential risks.

In January 2025, we published guidance designed to help schools consider the opportunities generative AI presents while ensuring that safety and ethical considerations are prioritised.

To complement the guidance, we have published a suite of resources and training opportunities, including a policy template to support schools with the safe integration of generative AI tools. The AI Foundations training module, developed with Common Sense Education, is designed to enhance practitioners’ understanding and effective use of AI. Working with Welsh Universities and leading online safety organisations including the UK Safer Internet Centre, Internet Matters and Praesidio Safeguarding, we have developed resources to assist schools to embed AI literacy, ensuring teachers and learners engage with AI safely and responsibly.

I have also commissioned Estyn to conduct a review of schools’ use of generative AI. This review will support a sector-wide understanding of how generative AI is being used across schools, identify examples of good practice and examine the opportunities, challenges, and impact of generative AI. The findings will be published in the Autumn term and will directly inform our next steps to support schools.

Taith’s reciprocal nature is central to its collaborative ethos. Pathway 2 projects, in particular, are designed not just for outbound mobility but to foster strategic partnerships that deliver mutual benefit. These projects are required to produce tangible outputs that address sector priorities in Wales while also benefiting international partners. This two-way exchange reinforces Wales’s image as a country that not only learns from others but also shares its own innovations and values.

The recent extension of Taith until 2028 signals to international partners that Wales is committed to long-term, meaningful collaboration.

The programme’s impact extends beyond education. It supports Wales’s broader international strategy by positioning the nation as a forward-thinking, inclusive, and globally engaged partner.

Taith provides international mobility opportunities with a particular focus on those who would not otherwise have them. A refocussed strategy, published in October 2023, re-emphasises the core values of the programme, including the commitment to support people from underrepresented groups, such as those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to take part. The breadth of organisations that have received funding reflects our emphasis on building capacity in Wales, to deliver a programme that benefits all education and youth sectors.

Research indicates that international mobility experiences significantly enhance both academic and professional outcomes. Participants benefit from improved academic performance, stronger career prospects, and personal growth—including greater resilience, confidence, and intercultural awareness—while staff gain enriched teaching practices and global perspectives.

It is a requirement that Taith is evaluated independently by an external evaluator. Wavehill were commissioned to conduct the inception stage evaluation of Taith. The inception stage evaluation can be found on Taith’s website.

Following the inception stage, an interim evaluation conducted by Wavehill will soon be published. This evaluation will review the delivery and management processes, assess progress towards meeting outputs and outcomes, and provide a value for money assessment.

A comprehensive business case was developed at the outset of the programme which considered a number of potential delivery models and funding streams.

The extension's cost is covered by the programme's initial budget due to adjusted funding profiles that account for demand fluctuations in the grant scheme.

Combined target for overall number of outbound and inbound mobility exchanges: 15,500

Cumulative Total for all underrepresented groups, for outward learners: 40%

Minimum % of participants from underrepresented subgroups for outward learners:

i) Disabled participants, including those with Additional Learning Needs (ALN): 10%

ii) Participants from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds: 10%

iii) Participants from disadvantaged backgrounds: 20%

Total number of multi-annual partnerships (at institutional level) ‘live’:  50

Total number of countries having been involved in the Programme (including Global Wales): 40

Cymraeg 2050 officials are currently in discussions with Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain Chairperson and Governors as they continue to receive full funding for 2025–26 financial year – a grant letter has already been issued. The allocated £90,000 is to promote the Welsh Language in London and discussions will be held throughout the year as we review and reimagine the activities associated with this funding to ensure we are meeting the needs of all Welsh speakers in London.

Discussions about the impact of agricultural property relief and business property relief on Welsh farmers have been held with the Secretary of State for Wales.

There has been extensive stakeholder engagement on bluetongue disease. I held a bluetongue roundtable meeting with senior representatives of the livestock and veterinary sectors on 5 June to hear their views. The Chief Veterinary Officer chaired the latest in a long series of stakeholder workshops on bluetongue on 28 May. Input from the livestock and veterinary sectors was carefully considered before I announced my decision on a proportionate approach to bluetongue control on 12 June.

Given the uncertainty about the severity of the disease in livestock dense countries like Wales and the impact of bluetongue on herd and flock productivity and fertility, it is not feasible to conduct an economic impact assessment.

There has been extensive stakeholder engagement on bluetongue disease. I held a bluetongue roundtable meeting with senior representatives of the livestock and veterinary sectors on 5 June to hear their views. The Chief Veterinary Officer chaired the latest in a long series of stakeholder workshops on bluetongue on 28 May. Input from the livestock and veterinary sectors was carefully considered before I announced my decision on a proportionate approach to bluetongue control on 12 June.

Given the uncertainty about the severity of the disease in livestock dense countries like Wales and the impact of bluetongue on herd and flock productivity and fertility, it is not feasible to conduct an economic impact assessment.

There has been extensive stakeholder engagement on bluetongue disease. I held a bluetongue roundtable meeting with senior representatives of the livestock and veterinary sectors on 5 June to hear their views. The Chief Veterinary Officer chaired the latest in a long series of stakeholder workshops on bluetongue on 28 May. Input from the livestock and veterinary sectors was carefully considered before I announced my decision on a proportionate approach to bluetongue control on 12 June.

Given the uncertainty about the severity of the disease in livestock dense countries like Wales and the impact of bluetongue on herd and flock productivity and fertility, it is not feasible to conduct an economic impact assessment.

There has been extensive stakeholder engagement on bluetongue disease. I held a bluetongue roundtable meeting with senior representatives of the livestock and veterinary sectors on 5 June to hear their views. The Chief Veterinary Officer chaired the latest in a long series of stakeholder workshops on bluetongue on 28 May. Input from the livestock and veterinary sectors was carefully considered before I announced my decision on a proportionate approach to bluetongue control on 12 June.

Given the uncertainty about the severity of the disease in livestock dense countries like Wales and the impact of bluetongue on herd and flock productivity and fertility, it is not feasible to conduct an economic impact assessment.

I refer you to my Preventing Ill Health written statement published on 10 June.

I refer you to WQ96554.

The NHS in Wales has established rapid diagnostic centres for GPs to refer people when they suspect cancer, but the presenting symptoms do not match cancer referral guidelines. These centres or clinics provide an additional referral option for GPs as part of the national vague symptom pathway and are delivered according to a national service specification, which can be found at:

Service specifications - NHS Wales Performance and Improvement

These are in place for all health board areas in Wales and I have not had any meetings specifically about these clinics during 2025.

All medicines recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) or the All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) are routinely available in Wales, where clinically appropriate. 

The Welsh Government’s New Treatment Fund, which was introduced in 2016, has improved access to new treatments approved by NICE and AWMSG. On average they are available just 16 days after approval.

While medicines supply is devolved, the UK Government takes the lead role managing medicines shortages, to ensure NHS patients across the UK have equity of access to medicines. To provide the public with timely advice about medicines shortages, the Welsh Government has created a dedicated webpage: Medicines shortages | GOV.WALES.

I recognise the essential support unpaid carers provide to family and friends and it is vital they have the recognition and resources they need to maintain their own well-being.

We are currently working closely with senior leaders in local authorities and health boards to ensure carers find it easier to access information and advice at the earliest stages of their caring journey and have their own support needs assessed where this is appropriate. I am overseeing progress through our Ministerial Advisory Group for Unpaid Carers.

We also provide support through:

• our Short Breaks Scheme, which is in addition to the statutory requirements on local authorities to provide support for unpaid carers, including respite; 
• the Carers Support Fund; Both these schemes have the additional benefit of being a gateway to other support services: significant as half of those accessing schemes are previously unknown to services;
• requiring at least 5% of the Regional Integration Fund to be spent by Regional Partnership Boards on carers support services with £1 million is ringfenced for health boards to provide advice and information services for carers in hospital settings;
• currently running a social media campaign to encourage young carers to seek support and working with local authorities and education to boost uptake of Young Carer ID cards and consider improved means of identifying and supporting young carers within education;
• supporting third sector organisations to deliver national programmes for carers on our behalf.

We will publish a new National Strategy for Unpaid Carers in Spring 2026. We are currently engaging with stakeholders to inform a draft strategy which will go to public consultation toward the end of this year. This will ensure our actions and policy drivers continue to be targeted at the areas of improvement of most importance to unpaid carers.

As part of registration, care home workers are required to undertake continuous professional development (CPD), ensuring that workers are always building upon their skills.

The SCW Workforce Development Programme (SCWWDP) is a long-established grant programme to support training and workforce development across social care in Wales, funded through Social Care Wales (SCW). The annual grant plus match funding by local authorities, is distributed regionally and is used by local authorities to support training and workforce development activity in both their own organisations and for external providers.  

Through SCWWDP, SCW works alongside regional workforce leads to support social care staff, both external and internal, with qualifications through different pathways. This includes support for managers.

All regions report on an extensive programme of learning, based on needs analysis, available and marketed to the whole sector free of charge.

Common themes for learning and development across the regions in care homes include training in dementia, safe administration of medicines or medication management and neurodiversity. This is alongside the traditional levels of support to the regional safeguarding boards in place to support a wide range of levels of training. SCW also provides resources and support to employers in the social care sector to help them manage their workforce effectively and maintain high standards of care.

Positively, as part of the SCW 2024 Workforce Survey: Have Your Say, 87% of the workforce said they have the right training for their role (compared to 79% in 2023). Similarly, the vast majority (80%) have enough training to fulfil their CPD requirements. We will continue to work with SCW on training opportunities for our workforce, which includes appropriate training to support their career development in addition to their CPD.

Student midwives are supported financially throughout their training either by accessing student support from Student Finance or by opting to access the NHS Wales Bursary.

The NHS Wales Bursary pays students’ tuition fees throughout their studies and offers a means-tested bursary and a non-means tested grant. In addition, eligible, full-time Welsh-domiciled students are also able to access the full maintenance loan from Student Finance Wales. In exchange for receipt of NHS Wales Bursary support, students commit to work in Wales for up to two years following their graduation.

The NHS Wales Bursary is available to non-Welsh domiciled students who are studying in Wales and willing to commit to working in Wales for up to two years following their graduation.

NHS Wales Bursary students are further supported in obtaining a post following their graduation via the Student Streamlining process. As all vacancies are advertised at once on one platform, this enables graduates to complete a single application form, indicate their preferred posts and location and attend a single interview, rather than completing multiple applications and attending multiple interviews. The Student Streamlining Scheme matches final year students to appropriate job vacancies in Wales and allocates a suitable post following the interview.

It is our duty to ensure everyone employed in the NHS can come to work without fear of harm.

To support this, the Welsh Government has worked with NHS organisations to implement the Speaking up Safely framework and signed the Obligatory Responses to Violence in Healthcare document with NHS Wales organisations, the Crown Prosecution Service and all four police services in Wales.

This joint commitment reinforces our united stance against abuse, violence and aggression towards all NHS staff, including verbal, online or physical incidents. The document provides practical guidance for staff facing violent incidents, with a strong emphasis on improved incident reporting and prioritising staff safety.

We have issued a Welsh Health Circular urging all NHS organisations to adopt a proactive approach to preventing violence and aggression. It highlights the importance of supporting staff who have experienced such incidents, ensuring their well-being and recovery are central to our response.

My officials continue to work closely with the NHS Wales Anti-Violence Collaborative – this is a robust partnership involving criminal justice service partners, NHS organisations, trade unions, and the Welsh Government. This collaboration is focused on preventing incidents and safeguarding the physical and mental health of the NHS workforce.

A safer working environment enables staff to concentrate on delivering high-quality patient care, which in turn enhances patient safety.

In 2021 we published the Quality Statement for Stroke setting out our aim for people of all ages to have the lowest possible risk of having a stroke, and, when it does occur, to have an excellent chance of surviving and returning to independence as quickly as possible. This aim remains.

NHS organisations in Wales are accountable for implementing the Quality Statement and are supported by NHS Wales Performance and Improvement to do this. The NHS is committed to the Act FAST campaign, or Cam NESA in Welsh, and Welsh Government will continue to support partners across the NHS to work together to seek opportunities to run this campaign in collaboration with the Stroke Association Cymru.

We will also continue to work closely with NHS England and have access to the new resources they developed for the 2024 FAST campaign. This collaboration is essential to ensure consistent messaging to the public about acting FAST and calling 999 if there are any signs and symptoms of stroke. NHS England’s FAST advertising campaign had some cross over into Wales.

When a stroke happens, time saves lives, prevents, and reduces disability. I therefore appreciate the importance of raising public awareness of the symptoms of stroke and the role of this campaign.

The Welsh Government has established comprehensive surveillance systems to track COVID-19 variants, including NB.1.8.1 sometimes called the “Nimbus variant”. Public Health Wales (PHW) monitors this variant through its weekly epidemiological reports, providing up-to-date data on prevalence and trends across Wales. While the UK has detected a small number of cases of variant NB.1.8.1, international data suggests that it is growing as a proportion of all COVID-19 cases.

NB.1.8.1 is therefore classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a Variant Under Monitoring. The WHO currently assesses the overall risk of NB.1.8.1 as low, with no evidence of additional public health risks compared to other Omicron descendant lineages - based on the available information, there is no evidence to suggest that this variant causes more severe disease than previous variants, or that the vaccines in current use will be less effective. The Welsh Government continues to follow JCVI advice in regard to COVID-19 Vaccination.

The Welsh Government and PHW will continue to monitor the situation closely, including regular discussion with the other UK nations, and will respond as needed.

Increasing access to NHS dentistry is a Ministerial priority and I expect health boards to use all parts of the dental service, including mobile dental units to do this.

Mobile dental units can provide capacity to expand community dental services in the case of limited fixed spaces, there are limitations on their effectiveness. This can be for a variety of reasons, including mechanical issues, infection, prevention and control requirements, travel and staffing issues.

Ultimately, the provision of dental services in North Wales is the responsibility of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The health board has re-invested £1.5m from returned NHS dental contracts and is working on procuring a further £5m of activity from contracts that have been handed back. This will improve access to NHS dentistry significantly across North Wales this financial year.

Since 2021 NHS Wales has made increased savings, year on year, with 2024-25 seeing NHS Wales achieve record levels of savings.

Welsh Government supports this process, for example, through the Value & Sustainability Board, which is chaired by the Chief Executive of NHS Wales and meets regularly to support the system in identifying and delivering opportunities for efficiencies and improvements in resource utilisation, to deliver improved outcomes for patients, as well as financial savings.

I am committed to ensuring we continue to make progress on dementia care and support in Wales, and that this will be driven forward in the successor to the Dementia Action Plan. We intend to publish a consultation document towards the end of this calendar year, informed by our continued engagement with stakeholders. We are committed to co-production of the new plan, and we will take the time necessary to meaningfully engage partners and people with lived experience throughout.

We recently published an evaluation of the dementia action plan, which assessed its impact on dementia care and support in Wales. We have also continued our engagement through a public questionnaire to shape our engagement activities for the successor dementia action plan.

As part of our current work programme, we continue to support key priority areas, including continual improvement of diagnosis rates, person centred care – with a focus on the dementia care pathway for Welsh speaking patients and carers and brain health.

Rail infrastructure in Wales, other than the Core Valley Lines, is a reserved matter and is managed by Network Rail on behalf of the UK Government. Network Rail have advised they manage 1,355 miles of track across the Wales and Borders route. This figure takes into account double and single-track, but excludes the Core Valley Lines. Network Rail advise that closed or non-operational lines, including sidings, account for around 28 running miles. However, this does not include historic lines that have been closed, for example the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line, or those lines that no longer have any remaining track.

Rail infrastructure in Wales, other than the Core Valley Lines, is a reserved matter and is managed by Network Rail on behalf of the UK Government. Network Rail have advised they manage 1,355 miles of track across the Wales and Borders route. This figure takes into account double and single-track, but excludes the Core Valley Lines. Network Rail advise that closed or non-operational lines, including sidings, account for around 28 running miles. However, this does not include historic lines that have been closed, for example the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line, or those lines that no longer have any remaining track.

Rail infrastructure in Wales, other than the Core Valley Lines, is a reserved matter and is managed by Network Rail on behalf of the UK Government. Transport for Wales have maintained the Core Valley Lines since it was divested to the Welsh Government in March 2020. The Core Valley Lines has 88 route miles of track, as some of the route is single track and some double track, this equates to 135.2 track miles.

The table shows the operational and maintenance costs for the Core Valley Lines Infrastructure (Track, Signalling, Bridges, Earthworks etc) since 2020 as well as the Capital Renewal Costs.

Rail infrastructure in Wales, other than the Core Valley Lines, is a reserved matter and is managed by Network Rail on behalf of the UK Government. Transport for Wales have maintained the Core Valley Lines since it was divested to the Welsh Government in March 2020. The Core Valley Lines has 88 route miles of track, as some of the route is single track and some double track, this equates to 135.2 track miles.

The table shows the operational and maintenance costs for the Core Valley Lines Infrastructure (Track, Signalling, Bridges, Earthworks etc) since 2020 as well as the Capital Renewal Costs.