Tories vow to end Welsh government working from home

The Welsh Conservatives have pledged to cut ministerial pay, freeze Welsh government employee salaries of over £100,000 and end most working from home if they win power in the next Senedd election.

They have also said money saved by cutting government administration costs could be used to create a new Welsh winter fuel allowance.

The Conservatives currently have 16 out of 60 Members of the Senedd ahead of next year's election, which will see the number of members increase to 96, while current polling puts them fourth.

A 2024 survey found 2% of Welsh government staff worked all the time in an office building with 73% mixing time between home and the office.

Welsh Labour has been asked to comment.

James Evans, Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, said "productivity actually increases" for those working in offices, adding that his party wants to see "real change in the system".

Some experts argue that working from home can increase productivity.

"And I want to see civil servants back behind desks... to make sure that we can actually drive that efficiency," said Evans, who is the party's spokesman for health and social care.

He told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast pay should be "related to performance" saying the Welsh government "isn't performing very well".

He did not elaborate on how much a Welsh winter fuel allowance could be worth to individuals, adding: "These are costings that need to be worked up."

But Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar has previously claimed it could cost £100m.

Most pensioners lost their allowance last year after the UK Labour government began means testing the payments.

Announcing the party's new policies at an event in Llandudno, Conwy county, on Saturday, Millar said his party would "cut the pay of all ministers by 10%, freezing it for the duration of the parliament" if the party gained power in the Senedd elections next year.

"We will also freeze the salaries of public sector fat cats working for the Welsh government... and we will get more Welsh government employees working in their offices, instead of on their sofas at home."

A poll in December put the Conservatives in fourth place in the 2026 Senedd election, behind Reform UK, Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru.