Welsh Government sets out four-year plan with pledges on NHS, jobs and cost of living

Nation.Cymru staff

The Welsh Government has set out its priorities for the next four years, with cutting NHS waiting lists, helping families with the cost of living and creating better-paid jobs among its central commitments.

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth launched the new Programme for Government on Tuesday, setting out what ministers intend to deliver before the next Senedd election.

The 70-page document also contains pledges to build at least 20,000 additional social homes by 2030, increase the number of GPs by up to 100 and establish as many as 10 surgical hubs across Wales.

Ministers are also promising a new universal childcare offer, progressively providing 20 hours of funded childcare a week for children aged nine months to four for 48 weeks of the year, while retaining the existing 30-hour offer for eligible three and four-year-olds.

The programme focuses on health and care, the cost of living, the economy and jobs, education, tackling child poverty and what the government describes as “standing up for Wales”.

On the economy, the government has reiterated its ambition to halve Wales’ productivity gap with the rest of the UK within a decade and will establish a new Economic and Fiscal Commission to set targets, collect data and measure progress.

It also promises a new business-led National Development Agency, reform of the Development Bank of Wales and an ambition to increase the proportion of the more than £11bn spent annually by Welsh public bodies on goods and services that goes to Wales-based suppliers towards 70%.

Other commitments include reforming business rates to support hospitality, leisure and retail businesses, legislating for a community right to buy and developing a new national skills strategy.

On transport, ministers have committed to retaining £1 single bus fares and £3 day tickets for people aged five to 21, alongside concessionary passes for over-60s and disabled people.

The programme also promises simpler fares across bus and rail, an expansion of tap-on, tap-off ticketing and a new north-south coach service.

Two-year waits

On health, the First Minister has pledged to eliminate two-year NHS waits by September 2027.

The Welsh Conservatives welcomed the commitment but called for ministers to publish a detailed plan showing how the target would be met.

Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care Natasha Asghar said: “No patient should have to wait two years for NHS treatment. Behind every figure is someone living with pain, uncertainty and the anxiety of not knowing when they will finally receive the care they need.

“We welcome the First Minister’s commitment to bring these unacceptable waits down to zero, but Ministers had previously promised to eliminate two-year waits ‘within months’ and failed to do so.

“We need to see a credible plan with clear milestones so any progress towards hitting this target can be closely monitored.”

In rural Wales, the government says it will refine the Sustainable Farming Scheme, introduce a new bovine TB plan, develop a National Food Strategy and legislate to require rural proofing of spending plans and policies.

It also intends to merge Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, Ynni Cymru and the Welsh Government Energy Service to create a strengthened national energy company aimed at increasing community ownership of renewable energy.

The government says its approach will involve departments working more closely together rather than addressing individual issues in isolation.

‘Blueprint for change’

Mr ap Iorwerth said: “This Programme for Government is our blueprint for change. It sets a new ambition for Wales to realise our vision of a modern, thriving, ambitious and confident nation.

“For too long, silo working has stood in the way of progress. This new government is taking a different approach.

“By bringing imagination and innovation to the way decisions are made and priorities are set, we will work across government departments – not just within them – to address the greatest challenges facing our society today.”

He said the government’s focus would be on turning its early actions into “lasting results” by reducing waiting lists, putting the NHS on a more sustainable footing, helping families with living costs, creating jobs, raising standards in schools and tackling child poverty.

The First Minister added: “We will be uncompromising in standing up for Wales and demanding fairness from Westminster, making the case for empowering the Senedd with the tools that will enable us to be bolder and more radical in how we change our citizens’ lives for the better.

“We were elected to get Wales moving after years of drift and stagnation. That remains our mission.”

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