The Welsh Government’s spending plans for the next three years have been announced by Finance Minister Jane Hutt.
The Minister set out a £14.5bn draft budget which the Welsh Government claims will stimulate growth and jobs.
She announced funding to train 4,000 young people and extra cash for health.
Labour, which does does not have outright control of the Assembly will need help from opposition parties to get the budget approved.
Ms Hutt said: “We have a responsibility to use all the levers we have to stimulate the economy against the backdrop of failing economic performance, with the UK Government having no credible plan for long term growth. Our vision for Wales is for a more prosperous economy with better, more efficient public services that equip people to fulfil their potential and maximise their contribution to society and the economy.”
Key measures in the budget include:
- £75 million invested over the next three years in our new Jobs Growth Wales scheme that will help 4,000 young people every year through tailored training and employment opportunities;
- £55 million to extend the successful Flying Start scheme which will help an additional 18,000 children;
- an extra £27 million for schools in 2014/15, which means school budgets will continue to grow faster than the overall Welsh budget;
- an extra £288 million to be invested into the NHS in Wales over the next three years;
- additional investment to recruit 500 new Police Community Support Officers across Wales.
Welsh Health Minister Lesley Griffiths also announced more money being made available to Health Boards later this month.
She said: “I am aware that the financial pressures NHS organisations are facing in this year have made it more difficult for NHS staff to advance the service improvements and efficiencies they have planned.
“In recognition of this, I am also pleased to announce that I will be distributing an additional £100 million to Health Boards later this month, from a combination of Government reserves and my own budget.
“I believe that this funding, together with the sustained additional investment in the NHS which the Finance Minister announced today, has put NHS Wales in the strongest possible position to deliver the improvements, efficiencies and changes which will underpin its success into the future.”