This week the UK Government announced their 2024 budget, a plan for long term growth. This budget will deliver on the people’s priorities in Wales, and go far in supporting local people, and local communities.
With national insurance contributions cut by 2p, in addition to the 2p cut introduced at the start of the year, average workers across Wales will now receive a £900 tax cut. This in addition to inflation on course to drop below 2%, with millions of pounds of funding provided by the UK Government to communities right across Wales.
In the Senedd next Wednesday (07/03/24), the Welsh Conservatives are bringing forward a Senedd motion on the UK Government’s 2024 Budget, a plan for long term growth. With an additional £168 million of additional Barnett consequential funding for Wales, it’s crucial that the Labour Government spends this on the people’s priorities, such as more doctors, nurses, and teachers, not their unpopular vanity projects.
Commenting ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Finance Minister, Peter Fox MS, said:
“Communities across Wales will welcome the UK Government’s 2024 budget, a plan for long term growth, which is a vote of confidence in Wales’ future.
“This Conservative Government has taken the long-term decisions on the economy so taxes can be cut sustainably, while also putting Wales on the path to growth with big ticket investments into our communities.
“It’s now vital that the consequential funding from this budget is spent on fixing Wales’ public services, not diverted by the Welsh Government into Labour and Plaid Cymru’s unpopular vanity projects.”
The motion which will be debated on Wednesday reads:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Welcomes the UK Government’s 2024 Budget, a plan for long term growth, which will see:
a) national insurance contributions cut by 2p, saving the average Welsh worker £450 a year;
b) £168 million of additional Barnett consequential funding for Wales;
c) £160 million purchase of the Wylfa site;
d) £20 million of funding for Rhyl as part of the Long Term Plan for Towns;
e) £10 million of funding to Venue Cymru in Llandudno;
f) £5 million of funding for cultural facilities in Newport;
g) £5 million of funding to launch an agri-food launchpad in partnership between Welsh Government and Ceredigion Council; and
h) £1.6 million of funding towards the redevelopment of Theatr Clwyd in Mold.