“We need a budget focused on improving public services and boosting the economy” – Finance Committee Chair
As Wales recovers from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Senedd’s Finance Committee is launching its public consultation on the Welsh Government Draft Budget (2022/23) – the first budget since this year’s Senedd election.
On behalf of the people of Wales, Senedd Committees will be looking at the priorities and details proposed for next year’s Welsh Government Budget.
The draft Budget comes at a time after an unprecedented amount of money has been spent on the COVID-19 pandemic. The Welsh Government has also held back substantial amounts of money in reserves to tackle the pandemic.
The Finance Committee is listening to the Welsh public to understand people’s priorities for spending and to seek their views on the forthcoming budget, including priorities for spending and whether the Welsh Government should use the borrowing and tax-raising powers at its disposal or not.
The Committee will be looking at the overall Welsh Government budget while other Senedd Committees look at proposed spending for each of the Welsh Government departments.
Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, the new Chair of the Finance Committee said:
“The recovery from the pandemic needs to be creative and ambitious. Last year we saw the Welsh Government holding significant amounts of money back in reserves to provide flexibility to deal with the pandemic. Now we need a budget focused on improving public services and boosting the economy.
“On behalf of the people of Wales, the Senedd’s Committees will be pouring over the Welsh Government’s budget, making sure allocations match public expectations and holding the Ministers to account on their proposals.
“We want to hear the public’s views to make sure that the Welsh Government’s spending plans are driven by the needs of the people of Wales.”
The Finance Committee has previously called on the Welsh Government to continue to seek commitments from the UK Government to reinstate multi-year settlements, following a number of years of uncertainty of funding due to Brexit and the pandemic. The Chancellor has now announced that there will be a return to a 3-year settlement, which the Committee hopes will provide more financial certainty for public services for the next few years.
The Finance Committee is launching a series of focus groups with people across Wales alongside its consultation, which closes on 26 November 2021.
