The Welsh Government has announced a reformed NHS dental contract to take effect in April 2026, aimed at improving access, fairness, and quality of care across Wales. Replacing the outdated units of dental activity model, the new system will prioritise treatment based on individual oral health needs, ensuring more frequent appointments for those requiring care while maintaining continuity for patients with good oral health. Following public consultation, the contract was revised to preserve patient-dentist relationships and simplify charges, with patients contributing 50% of treatment costs, capped at £384. Dentists will receive increased NHS payments, and additional funding will support collaborative cluster development to integrate dentistry into wider preventative healthcare.

The Welsh Government has published new guidance with a framework to help support highway authorities on decisions on local speed limits. The Welsh Government has noted that, from September 2024, highway authorities will be able to apply the new framework to assess speed limits on roads where they think a change may be appropriate. The new framework allows for prioritisation of a 20mph limit on roads where pedestrians and cyclists mix with vehicles frequently. The Welsh Government has also said that local authorities will be able to apply for funding to make the speed limit changes, with an additional £5m in funding for this financial year.

The Welsh Government has announced that two new members have been appointed to the Education Workforce Council. These new members include Karl Jones, Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University and David Edwards of Hereford Church of England Academy.

The Welsh Government has announced 100% non-domestic rates relief for electric vehicle (EV) charging point parking bays and forecourts until 31 March 2036. The HMRC Valuation Office has determined that these properties are, in certain circumstances, assessable for non-domestic rates under the existing legal framework. Local authorities will apply the relief at their discretion during the current financial year, with backdating to 1 April 2024 where applicable. Regulations are expected to be introduced later in 2026 to make the relief statutory from 2027–28 to 2035–36, subject to Senedd approval.

The Welsh Government has announced over £1.6 million of new funding for mental health and wellbeing support for schools over the next three years. This includes the Strategies for Safety and Wellbeing programme, designed for year five and seven learners, in partnership with the Anna Freud Centre, a mental health charity for children and young people. Complementing this, an additional £550,000 per year will be allocated to fund trauma informed practices in schools over the same period. This initiative builds on work involving Adverse Childhood Experience training and the Whole School Approach to emotional and mental wellbeing. It aims to create safe, stable learning environments and improve outcomes for children and young people. The funding will be channelled through Dysgu, the national professional learning and leadership body for maintained schools and settings.

The Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, has announced Wales's participation in international assessments for literacy, numeracy, and science. The decision includes involvement in Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for year 5 learners, as well as continued participation in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The Welsh Government has announced plans to phase in 20 hours of funded childcare per week, 48 weeks a year, for all children aged 9 months to 4 years over the current Senedd term. Welsh language provision will also be expanded to increase opportunities for children to learn Cymraeg. The Deputy First Minister of Wales, Sioned Williams, stated that the measures are intended to help address childcare costs and support parents returning to work, education or training.

The Welsh Government has published a written statement from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, announcing plans to amend Wales’ legislative framework to extend legal protections to European beavers (Castor fiber). The change will recognise beavers as a native species and grant them European Protected Species status, making it an offence to deliberately harm them or damage their habitats. The move will bring Wales in line with protections already in place in England and Scotland, following a targeted engagement exercise on the proposed amendments. Irranca-Davies also announced the creation of a Wales Beaver Forum to support collaborative, evidence-led management of species impacts and land use, with its first meeting planned for November 2025. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will remain the licensing authority for wild releases and issue management licences where necessary to mitigate adverse impacts.

The Welsh Government has announced that it is finalising a National Energy Strategy for Wales, which is due to be published later in 2026. The strategy will assess Wales’ current and future energy needs and identify the infrastructure required to meet them. It will replace renewable energy targets with emissions reduction objectives and use an evidence-based approach to determine where energy development should take place. The strategy will also aim to increase community ownership of renewable energy, reduce energy bills and ensure that Welsh communities benefit from low-carbon energy projects. It will change the way energy developments are planned by taking account of their scale, location and impact, including the need to protect productive agricultural land and secure local support.

The Welsh Government has issued a statement outlining plans for a post-implementation review of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020. Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden MS, announced that a three-year interim review will be conducted, covering the period up to March 2025. The review will assess the impact of the legislation on public services, awareness of the law, attitudes towards physical punishment and stakeholder experiences. The Act, which came into force on 21 March 2022, prohibits the physical punishment of children in all settings in Wales. The Minister intends to present a comprehensive post-implementation review report before the end of 2025, following data collection and analysis.

The Welsh Government has announced a package of reforms aimed at streamlining planning processes, speeding up infrastructure decisions, and addressing resource challenges. Key measures include: (1) a £9m direct investment in planning services provided by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Welsh Government’s Planning Directorate; (2) the introduction of new fee regulations by the end of 2025, with additional revenue to be reinvested into planning services to enhance performance and reduce waiting times; and (3) funding for two senior planner roles to work on infrastructure applications in North Wales, as part of an expanded North Wales Shared Planning Service.

The Welsh Government has published a written statement from the Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden, announcing a review of governance and accountability mechanisms for safeguarding children and adults in Wales. The review will consider: (1) the roles and responsibilities of the National Safeguarding Board and Regional Safeguarding Boards; (2) the interface between these bodies and the Inspectorates; and (3) the overall effectiveness of current arrangements in protecting individuals from harm. It will also develop recommendations to further strengthen safeguarding governance. A final report is expected in spring 2026.