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The Welsh Assembly Government’s final Budget aimed at helping people, communities and businesses through the global recession - has been agreed by the Assembly in plenary.

Andrew Davies, Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery, said the Budget was the result of some tough decisions but would protect services for the vulnerable.

To complement his Budget speech, the Minister has also issued a policy paper, ‘Better Outcomes for Tougher Times’, which sets out how, in the next phase of its public service improvement programme, the Assembly Government will be working with public services and social partners to continue transforming public service efficiency and driving innovation.

Andrew Davies said:

“The Budget has been subject to robust and challenging scrutiny and I am confident that it will provide Wales with better outcomes in the challenging times we face.

“In the Draft Budget proposals we took a strategic approach to protect and sustain the key public services that people rely on and continue our successful partnership work to help Wales weather the global economic downturn.  

“Through taking the difficult decisions necessary to find efficiency savings, we have created the opportunity to allocate new revenue funding from our reserves. Prioritisation for new strategic allocations was given to measures which will counteract the economic challenges we face.

“This includes £20 million to tackle youth unemployment and £4 million to support additional research and development work in collaboration with business.

“Scrutiny and discussion since the publication of the Draft Budget has served to confirm that it did indeed adopt the right approach, and the Final Budget tabled today therefore corresponds closely to the original Draft Budget.

“These are uncertain times – but whatever the future may hold, we remain committed to partnership. We will continue to work closely with our business, trade union and social partners through the Economic Summits, taking practical action to support individuals and businesses throughout the current global economic downturn.  

“We need a ‘Team Wales’ approach to the challenge faced by our public services over the coming years in responding to the pressure on public finances, and the need to achieve better with the same or less for the citizens and communities of Wales.  This means urgent and sustained action on transforming public service efficiency and delivery and that is why the Assembly Government will be convening a Public Services Summit in the new year to plan and deliver a ‘Team Wales’ approach to the challenges we face in public service delivery.

“The Final Budget is the result of some tough decisions, reflecting the challenging times in which we are now operating.  It will provide the resources needed to continue to implement the One Wales agenda - helping protect and improve the public services that make a real difference to people’s lives, and helping people, communities and businesses through the global recession.”

Related Links

Current Budget

From this section you can access the Welsh Assembly Government's current budget information.