Wales’ government will be ‘unwavering and unapologetic in standing up for Wales’, says First Minister

Ella Groves – ICNN Senedd Reporter

The Welsh Government’s new ‘Programme for Government’ is built on the “issues that matter most to people’s everyday lives”, First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has declared.

Published on Tuesday September 22, the four-year strategy sets out the administration’s core priorities through to 2030, with a focus on healthcare, education, and public sector governance.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday September 22, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “For too long, the Welsh Government has been measured on the number of actions it takes and not the outcomes it delivers.

“That changes now. From now on, every action will have a clear purpose, namely to improve people’s lives.”

Newly-appointed Reform UK Wales leader Helen Jenner MS told the Siambr there was “plenty” in the programme her party could support, including reducing NHS waiting lists, raising school standards, and supporting job creation.

However, real change Ms Jenner said is “whether we can come back to this Chamber in a year, two years and four years from now and measure whether anything has actually improved.”

The Bangor Conwy Môn MS also wanted to know how much public money would be spent on constitutional matters.

She said: “You are establishing a new national commission for Wales. You want justice and policing devolved, welfare devolved, further powers over energy, broadcasting, water and the Crown Estate.

“And the government is formally asking for the power to determine the timing, question and process of an independence referendum.

“Plaid Cymru is entitled to argue for those things. Reform is equally entitled to oppose them”

Ms Jenner added: “Being Welsh does not require supporting independence, and standing up for Wales does not require wanting to leave the United Kingdom.”

Responding to her comments on further powers for Wales Mr ap Iorwerth said it was “clear for everybody to see: that Reform do not believe in Wales as a nation”.

He said: “What we have from the leader of Reform is a blanket ‘no’: ‘We do not want Wales to have the tools. We do not want Wales to be able to succeed by having the powers or the finances in order to build a better future for Wales.’

“That is fine, that is a fundamental difference between us. I’ll be the one here standing up for Wales. She can do as she pleases.”

“Constructive partner”

Labour leader Ken Skates criticised the First Minister on some elements of his programme for government including “expanding Welsh Labour’s childcare offer to millionaires”.

He wanted reassurance that support for working class or vulnerable children, such as the Flying Start scheme, would remain.

Mr ap Iorwerth defended the universal principle of the childcare policy, comparing it to free prescriptions and pensioner bus passes.

Despite the policy clash, Mr Skates pledged Labour would act as a “willing and constructive partner” where policies prioritised Welsh communities.

“Crisis”

Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar also acknowledged the importance of cross-party working within the Senedd, but criticised the programme for not declaring the NHS in crisis and called for further detail on plans to increase the number of hospital beds.

Mr Millar closed by stressing his party’s willingness to work on common ground, adding: “It might be difficult. There may be some stumbles along the way, but we’re prepared to reach out on a cross-party basis, and it was good to hear the same message coming from Reform as well, to try to make Wales a better place.”

Responding, the First Minister shared that he is “not convinced” that a “declaration of crisis” in the NHS is “particularly useful”.

On the need for more beds, he said: “The plans that we have put in place and that are reflected in this document are clinically-led, and they’re not telling us what we need is more beds – they’re saying we need a number of steps to be taken. But I’m not dismissing the point that the member is making.”

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