The Welsh Government spent thousands of pounds on luxury visits, including trips to the Cannes Film Festival, whisky tasting in France, and campervans at festivals, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Reform UK.
The spending, which took place between May and June this year, was revealed in the FOI response. Plaid Cymru took office on May 13, and the spends on Cannes and whisky tasting fall under the previous Labour administration.
Details of the spending
The FOI response shows that £618.42 was spent on two tickets for the Cannes Film Festival on May 13, coded as "Training and Pers Devt", and £523.19 was spent at Maison Whisky for a tasting session to promote Wales as an investment destination on May 12.
On May 14, £1,680 was spent on Elan Valley Hotel rooms and dinner, plus a £507.68 dinner for eight in Cardiff. £2,167.48 also went on two New York to Britain flights for a Visit Wales press trip.
£1,319.43 was spent on dinner for 14 people on May 21 at Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, and £539.34 was spent on lunch for four during an Irish tech charity event the day before.
Further expenses in June
Also on May 21, £2,335.84 was spent at the Drupal conference in Brussels, which went on four tickets. On its website, the conference says it "brought together policymakers, digital leaders, technologists, and members of the open-source community from across Europe to share experiences, exchange knowledge, and explore how open-source technologies support the digital transformation of public administrations".
In June, £682.47 and £622.52 was spent on campervans at festivals Camp VC and Big Love respectively, and £913.16 was spent on copies of 'Idiot Brain' books for Summer School 2026, coded as a "subscription fee".
On June 4, at a social media conference, £2,311.09 was spent on nine tickets across two orders. £669 was paid to Cardiff University four days later on June 8 for a Harvard Women and Power alumnae event.
On June 26, £1,095 was also spent on Royal Mail "stationery". Other spends listed include ministerial travel, vehicle insurance, and an annual drone registration fee.
Reaction and response
Reform UK Wales' shadow minister for finance, Cai Parry-Jones, said: "Wales' education system is falling behind and our NHS is on its knees, yet the Plaid Cymru government can find money for whisky tasting in France, Cannes Film Festival tickets, and campervan hire. Taxpayers deserve answers as to why public money is being spent on these luxuries while our public services are failing."
Asked about the spending, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Procurement cards reduce administration costs and are used by government departments across the UK. We have rigorous processes in place to limit, monitor and control their use. Transactions are reviewed, require approval by senior managers and are subject to regular internal audit. Transparency is important and we publish detailed information on procurement card use every year."
