Increasing apprenticeship opportunities for young people, ensuring universal access to next generation broadband and introducing 50+ health checks were among the priorities announced by the Welsh Government this week.
In an address to Assembly Members in the Senedd, First Minister Carwyn Jones set out his Programme for Government for the current Assembly term.
It outlines Welsh Ministers’ priorities and comes ahead of the Welsh Government’s Draft Budget, which is published next week.
Other priorities include increase access to GP services, funding 500 new community support officers and increasing frontline spending in schools.
Mr Jones said: The First Minister said: “Our Programme for Government is an ambitious agenda for Wales. It translates the manifesto on which we were elected into action – and my government is determined to deliver it in full.
“Our focus is on benefiting people – on working together to create a fairer and more prosperous country – and a society in which everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
“Our decisions are not only about creating a ‘better today’, but look forward to ensure a ‘better tomorrow’ – delivering improvements for the lives of our children, and for the lives of our children’s children.
“We will create more apprenticeships for young people to offer them a better start to their working lives; We’ll establish new health checks for the over 50s and focus on a healthier society; and we’ll strengthen communities through Wales, funding 500 more Police Community Support Officers.
“These improvements will be firmly grounded in our uniquely Welsh approach to fairness and sustainability – a commitment that goes beyond the narrow concept of ‘greenness’, and delivers our vision for the economic and environmental wellbeing of our communities.”
Caerphilly AM Jeff Cuthbert welcomed the “progressive” programme.
He said: “This is a progressive programme of government that will deliver better
public services for those in Caerphilly and the Rhymney Valley. The people of the Caerphilly
constituency elected me on Welsh Labour’s manifesto in May and this programme is all about
putting those promises into action over the next five years.
“Increasing access to GP services will make it easier to book an appointment, particularly for
those who struggle to get to a surgery during normal working hours.
“Establishing a Welsh Jobs Fund will create apprenticeships to give young people a better
start to their working lives, while people will feel safer on the streets with 500 extra community
support officers on the beat.”
Opposition parties in the Assembly have claimed the programme lacks meaningful targets.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams said it was “not worth the paper it’s written on” while Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones described it as “a collection of meaningless generalisations with no detail or targets.”
Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies questioned the track record of some ministers.
The Programme for Government will be updated annually and a progress report published every year.