Assembly Committee states concerns over affordability of Welsh Government budget

08 November 2012

A National Assembly for Wales committee has expressed concerns about the affordability of the Welsh Government's draft budget for 2013-14.

Members of the Finance Committee remain unconvinced that the Welsh Government's proposed expenditure for the next financial year will be adequate to fulfil its planned programme.

In particular, the Committee believes that Wales’s Local Health Boards will not come in on budget this year and therefore money will have to be drawn from other areas in the Welsh Government’s plans.

The evidence to the Committee highlighted an apparent lack of preparation to establish which elements of the budget will take priority should further funding for Local Health Boards be required.

Concerns are also raised about the discrepancy between the Welsh Government’s provision for the costs to local authorities of implementing proposed new legislation and the local authorities’ own estimates.

"The Committee is not convinced this draft budget can cover everything that the Welsh Government wants to achieve in the next financial year," said Jocelyn Davies AM, Chair of the Finance Committee.

"Of particular concern is the evidence which suggests that Wales’s Local Health Boards will not come in on target this year and we believe further consideration should be given to what areas and departments will be squeezed if and when budgets get tight.

"We also wish to see greater clarification on the scale of costs for implementing future legislation for local authorities as currently there appears to be a large discrepancy between Welsh Government and local authority estimates."

Link to more information on the Finance Committee.

Link to more information on scrutiny of the Welsh Government draft budget.