Welsh Conservatives today launched their 2011 Election manifesto, ‘A New Voice for Wales’, pledging to build an enterprising economy and world-class public services by empowering teachers, parents, communities and NHS staff.
The Party has committed to abolishing business rates for small businesses, introducing Enterprise Zones, seeking a direct transatlantic air link from Wales and freezing the Severn Bridge tolls.
A Welsh Conservative Assembly Government will be a new voice for those forgotten under Labour, by tackling child poverty, recognising the contribution of our Armed Forces, helping carers needing respite and encouraging volunteering.
The Party will also protect benefits for pensioners such as free prescriptions and free bus passes.
By protecting the NHS budget, a Welsh Conservative Government will maintain the number of NHS nurses, increase investment in hospices, stroke services and the Wales Air Ambulance.
Welsh Conservatives will also raise Wales’ ambulance response time targets to match England, Scotland and Northern Ireland by ensuring that at least 75% of ambulances respond to emergency calls within eight minutes, by increasing investment in rapid response vehicles.
In education, Welsh Conservatives have set out an ambitious vision of narrowing the attainment gap between Wales and England, funding a major school building programme and seeking to raise the world ranking of Wales’ Higher Education institutions.
A Welsh Conservative Assembly Government will strengthen the Welsh nation within the UK by taking forward discussions on fair and accountable funding for Wales, appoint a North Wales Minister, create a Welsh public records office and seek to establish St David’s Day as a national holiday.
Nick Bourne, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly, said, “This is an ambitious programme of government to create an enterprising economy, protect funding for the National Health Service and deliver a clear strategy to drive up educational standards.
“Voters have a clear choice in this election between Labour, who brought us to the brink of bankruptcy and ran down the Welsh economy so Wales is the poorest part of the UK or the Welsh Conservatives – a new voice for Wales.
“We will create an enterprising economy by abolishing business rates for small businesses to help them expand and create new jobs and establish the conditions Wales needs to encourage entrepreneurship.
“We would empower professionals to deliver public services, free from political interference because doctors and nurses are best placed to understand the clinical needs of their patients, while teachers and parents know what’s best for their local school.
“We’ll stop Labour’s £1billion cuts to the NHS, invest in a Cancer Drugs Fund, drive up performance in the ambulance service and take measures to protect NHS staff.
“Unlike Labour we will not stand by and watch Wales fall down school and university league tables. We will drive up standards in schools to narrow the attainment gap between Wales and England so our young people are not disadvantaged.
“In overseeing this manifesto our Policy Director, David Melding, has built a policy platform which will make Wales a healthier, greener and more prosperous nation.
“I am grateful to Cheryl Gillan and colleagues at Westminster for their input in developing a programme which will see the Welsh nation become a stronger partner within a United Kingdom.
“Welsh Conservatives will protect the NHS, nurture entrepreneurship and build a more prosperous Welsh nation. Welsh Conservatives are a new voice for Wales.”
