Written questions by Davies.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential impact of not uprating Local Housing Allowance on homelessness in Wales.

I have discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on a regular basis and on a range of issues. My officials work closely with DWP, MHCLG and other departments, including regarding Local Housing Allowance (LHA). The Government is taking action to support low-income households, including removing the two-child limit to reduce child poverty, benefitting 69,000 children in Wales. In addition, we are increasing the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage building on April 2025 increases that already helped up to 160,000 workers in Wales, cutting household energy bills by £150 per year and uprating the Universal Credit Standard Allowance by over 6%. This is the first ever sustained real terms increase in the Standard Allowance, directly benefitting 320,000 households in Wales. Discretionary Housing Payments are available from local authorities for those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on (a) the ‘Future of TV Distribution’ stakeholder forum and (b) the potential impact of its decision making on Wales.

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters. In July, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales met with Broadcast 2040+ to understand their perspectives on the long-term future of terrestrial TV in Wales. The lead department on this matter, DCMS established the Future of TV Distribution stakeholder forum which takes views 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. Before any decisions are made, including in relation to Wales, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on digital terrestrial television as their primary means of watching television.

How much funding the Welsh government requested from her Department for coal tip safety and remediation work as part of the Spending Review 2025.

At the Spending Review, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that HM Treasury would provide the Welsh Government with the funding it requested to continue its vital coal tip safety work. Ensuring coal tips across Wales remain safe is of the upmost importance and this is why the UK Government is committing £118 million over the three years of the Spending Review period (over financial years 2026/27-2028/29). This is in addition to the £25m provided at Autumn Budget last year, bringing the total UK Government investment in coal tip safety to over £140m. This is another example of how two governments working in partnership are delivering for the people of Wales.

How many visits has she made to working farms in Wales since the announcement of changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief on 30 October 2024.

Both the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I meet regularly with farmers and farming unions to listen to their concerns regarding Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.The Government is steadfastly committed to the farming sector – that is why we protected the farm budget at its current level, allocating £337m to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget. By negotiating a veterinary agreement with the EU to remove trade barriers and by announcing an extension of the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years, the Government is supporting farmers to become more profitable.

How many meetings has she held with the (a) Farmers Union of Wales (b) National Farmers Union Cymru, (b) Country Land and Business Association Cymru, (c) Tenant Association Farmers Cymru (d) Countryside Alliance Wales and (e) Central Association for Agricultural Valuers since 30 October 2024.

The farming unions are a key partner for the Wales Office – the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I are committed to working with them and maintaining an active dialogue. In November 2024, both the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I met with the Farmers Union of Wales, National Farmers’ Union Cymru, Country Land and Business Association and the Tenant Farmers Association. I separately met with the National Farmers' Union Cymru again later that month. In January of this year, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State attended the National Farmers Union Cymru Council, and then had a meeting with the National Farmers Union Cymru in March. She will also be meeting with the Farmers Union of Wales at the end of this month. I want to reiterate that the Government’s commitment to the farming sector is steadfast – that is why we protected the farm budget at its current level, allocating £337 million to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget.

What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on promoting the Welsh language in Patagonia.

I regularly meet with Welsh Government Ministers and the First Minister to discuss a wide range of matters, including the Welsh Language. 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 continues to thrive because of its vital role in ensuring the ongoing promotion and use of the Welsh language. A good example of collaboration between the UK Government and Welsh Governments on the Welsh Language is the Welsh Language Project (WLP), funded by the Welsh Government and administered by the British Council. This has been promoting and developing the Welsh Language in the Chubut region of Patagonia, Argentina since 1997, where each year two teachers from Wales spend a full academic year from March to December teaching in Patagonia. Teaching time is split between the three Welsh-Spanish bilingual primary schools, Coleg Camwy, a secondary school in Gaiman where Welsh is taught as a second language, and the Welsh for Adults Centres in the region. The project also funds a permanent Welsh Teaching Co-ordinator, based in Patagonia, and supports approximately 20 staff in the schools and adult learning centres to teach Welsh.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the pensions of former Allied Steel and Wire workers.

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.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Barnett formula for Wales.

The Welsh Government’s budget is increasing in real terms and is the largest settlement since devolution. This includes £1.7 billion through the Barnett formula to spend on public services like the NHS, which I noted didn’t feature in the Honourable Member’s pre budget ‘demands’.The outcome of the formula is actually that the Welsh Government receive 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK.

What discussions has she had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 on the Welsh Government's Welsh language strategy Cymraeg 2050.

The Welsh Government will be provided with a £21 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms since devolution. This includes an additional £1.7 billion through the Barnett Formula with £1.5 billion for day-to-day spending and £250 million for capital investment in 2025/26. The Welsh Government will decide how to allocate funding on devolved matters like the Welsh language strategy Cymraeg 2050.Although the Welsh language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cmyraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C continues to thrive because of its vital role in ensuring the ongoing promotion and use of the Welsh language.