Welsh Conservatives today challenged the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government over claims by the Deputy First Minister that the administration has “no plan” to deal with possible budget cuts.
The revelation underlines the need for the administration to focus on priority frontline services, Welsh Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne said.
Welsh Conservatives recently exposed a £1bn black hole in Assembly Government budgets this year because of earlier spending by the Labour-Plaid administration.
The research revealed:
- In real terms, the Assembly Government’s total managed expenditure across all departments will have been cut by nearly £1bn (or 5.9 per cent)
- The health and social services budget has been cut in real terms by nearly £500mn (or 7.3 per cent)
- As we emerge from recession, the economy and transport budget has been cut in real terms by 11% or nearly £200mn
- Despite a commitment to housing, this budget has declined by the largest amount – 16%
Nick Bourne said:
“We have repeatedly said the Assembly Government needs to take a long, hard look at its spending priorities, protect frontline services, and cut out waste and bureaucracy.
“It is simply not good enough for Ieuan to whinge from the sidelines about how difficult things are going to get when Labour and Plaid have created a £1bn black hole in their own spending plans.
“The previous Labour Westminster government, together with the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government, must share the blame for the disastrous state of public finances.
“In Wales the Assembly Government has failed to prioritise spending on frontline services due to their obsession with centrally driven targets, gimmicks, and wasteful pet projects.
“We all know that tough decisions have to be made about public services in Wales. All parties have acknowledged that.
“I welcome the fact the new coalition government at Westminster has made deficit reduction its top priority to ensure economic recovery.
“Labour and Plaid Cymru need to tell us what its priorities are for Wales and what plan they have to ensure frontline services are protected.”
