Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 107737 on Devolution: Wales, the future devolution of which specific key policy areas have been discussed; when each of those discussions took place with Welsh Government Ministers since July 2024
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for 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.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what formal requests for the devolution for further powers has the Welsh Government made since July 2024.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for 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.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what Barnett consequential funding will Wales receive as a result of measures set out in the Violence against women and girls strategy, published on 18 December 2025.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The Barnett formula applies to all increases or decreases to UK Government Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL). Programmes set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy are being funded from within existing unallocated budgets. The Barnett formula has already been applied in the normal way to funding previously allocated at Spending Review 2025.
Spending Review 2025 provided the Welsh Government with their largest spending review settlements in real terms since devolution in 1998. As a result of decisions at Budget 2025, the Welsh Government will receive an additional £320 million RDELex and £185 million CDEL through the operation of the Barnett formula on top of these record settlements.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Language Commissioner (a) on the topic of Welsh Language Standards and (b) in general.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment has she made of the extent to which Welsh language rights are fully respected in (a) government and (b) crown bodies operating in Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing Welsh Language Standards on all Crown bodies.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State met with the Welsh Language Commissioner earlier this year at the Urdd Eisteddfod where among other matters, they discussed the topics of Welsh Language Standards and Welsh Language Schemes. The now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister McMorrin, looks forward to meeting the Welsh Language Commissioner this month and my officials also continue to engage with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office regularly.
Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C as a public service broadcaster continues to promote the use of a thriving Welsh language.
The UK Government’s overarching goal is to continue to develop and expand Welsh language use and delivery. For example, we coordinate the officials led cross-Government Welsh Language Forum, which last met in September and was attended by a representative of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office. We publish content (graphics and videos) in both Welsh and English and all four social media channels operated by the Wales Office - X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. The Commissioner's office also regularly engages with individual UK Government departments to assist them in delivering their services in Wales through the medium of Welsh.
It is for the Welsh Ministers to specify, in regulations under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, the bodies to which the Welsh Language Commissioner may be required to comply with Welsh language standards. Where the Welsh Ministers seek to provide for standards to be specifically applicable to a Minister of the Crown, they must obtain the consent of the relevant Secretary of State.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions her Department has had with a) the Welsh Government and b) Cyngor Gwynedd on the regeneration of the former Trawsfynydd nuclear site.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues including our joint ambition for Wales to be at the forefront of the clean energy transition.
The UK Government is committed to delivering a secure, reliable, and low-carbon energy future for the UK and we have committed almost £17bn across the Spending Review period to the most ambitious nuclear new build programme for a generation.
This includes making available over £2.5bn across the Spending Review period to enable one of Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programmes. Great British Energy – Nuclear has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder to partner with to build the UK’s first small modular reactors, subject to government approvals and contract signature.
The government values the work undertaken by Cwmni Egino to develop socio-economic growth opportunities from new nuclear development in North Wales. Trawsfynydd could be a candidate for new nuclear in future and is one of a number of potential sites that could host new civil nuclear projects, subject to national planning policy, regulatory approvals and technical assessments.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reason he did not jointly sign the letter from the First Minister of Wales on the release of location data for Category C and D disused coal tips, dated 7 November 2023.
Answered by David T C Davies
As coal tips are a devolved matter and out of respect for the devolution agreement, I felt that the letter would be best coming from the First Minister.