Welsh Government draft budget does not match its own priorities – says National Assembly Committee
12 November 2013
The Welsh Government’s draft budget for the next financial year isn’t aligned with its own programme, says a National Assembly for Wales Committee report.
The Finance Committee found that while statements from the Welsh Government claimed it is a budget for ‘jobs and growth’, more money was being allocated to health services.
The Finance Committee is also concerned about the lack of detail regarding the financial implications of current and forthcoming legislation and has decided to hold an inquiry to examine the issue in-depth.
“The draft budget put forward by the Welsh Government appears at odds with its own stated priority of ‘jobs and growth’, instead committing more funding to health services,” said Jocelyn Davies AM, Chair of the Finance Committee.
“The Committee recognises the reasoning for such a decision by the Finance Minister but believes that a government’s priorities and budgets should be more closely aligned.
“We are also concerned at the lack of financial information about laws which have already been passed or which will be coming forward over the next year.
“The Committee is aware that more and more legislation is on the horizon and we believe it is critical that the Welsh Government makes every effort to budget for the implementation of these laws.
“Assembly Members, support staff and the Assembly’s research and committee service teams, have worked hard to develop their ability to scrutinise the Government’s finances. As a result, we are able to ask more demanding questions about why decisions were taken and what impact they will have on the people of Wales.
“We have raised our game but with recent announcements concerning the potential for new borrowing and taxation responsibilities being devolved we are also aware that the Assembly will need to step up its scrutiny processes even further in the future.”
The Committee makes 22 recommendations in its budget, including:
We welcome the improvements to the presentation of the budget, which build on work begun last year. However we recommend this work continues to further improve the transparency of how the budget allocations are aligned to the Programme for Government.
The Welsh Government should ensure more transparency about re-prioritisation decisions. As much transparency should be provided for reductions as for additional allocations, and;
That the Finance Committee undertakes an inquiry into the financial implications of legislation previously enacted by the Assembly, and how this impacts on the Welsh Government budget.