Five year plan to take Wales forward

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones has set out his government’s five year plan to drive improvement in the Welsh economy and public services.

Outlining that cuts were inevitable after Brexit, Jones highlighted pledges that included: 30 hours free childcare a week for parents of three and four-year-olds; 100,000 apprenticeships open to people of all ages; cutting business rates for small firms; improving access to GP surgeries, plus a fund for new treatments; money to drive-up school standards and refurbish or build new schools; and fast reliable broadband for every property in Wales.

Jones said: “The Welsh Government’s relentless focus will be on driving improvement in our economy and public services, which are together the bedrock of people’s daily lives. Taking Wales Forward outlines our key priorities for delivering those improvements. They are ambitious measures, aimed at making a difference for everyone, at every stage in their lives.

“Together we can build a Wales that is more confident, more equal, better skilled and more resilient. As a country we have punched above our weight, and now we are ready to do more.

“I want to see a Wales which is prosperous and secure, healthy and active, ambitious and learning, united and connected. This is the Wales we are determined to build over the coming five years.”

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative leader, said of the announcement: “We are left with little by way of detail, and Carwyn Jones's claim that Wales is punching above its weight is delusional. In spite of our many and varied talents, the evidence suggests that the exact opposite is true.

"Under Labour, the Welsh education system ranks behind Vietnam; large swathes of Wales are poorer than parts of Bulgaria, Romania and Poland; and Welsh NHS waiting times are the longest in the UK. If the Labour Party thinks that Wales punching above its weight, then they have a very low opinion of our country indeed."