Welsh Conservatives to force Senedd vote on protecting the health budget from Labour cuts
Nearly 30,000 people are waiting for over two years for treatment in our Welsh NHS. The Labour Health Minister, Eluned Morgan promised to eliminate these types of waits by March 2023.
The target was revised to next March (2024), but is likely to be missed according to figures released since March of this with very slow progress being made and overall waits rising.
With the Labour Health Minister, Eluned Morgan promising “deeper cuts” to our Welsh NHS, the Welsh Conservatives are calling on the Labour Government to protect the health budget in real terms, this follows the First Minister’s claims that Welsh public services must make cuts due to a £900m shortfall during this financial year.
According to the Auditor General for Wales, the Welsh Government receives £1.20 for every £1 spent on health in England by the UK Conservative Government, yet only £1.05 is spent on health here in Wales. The Labour Government in Wales are the only government in the UK to have ever cut a health budget.
36 more Welsh Parliament members could cost taxpayers an extra £18m not forgetting the £32.5m cost to roll out the new 20 MPH limit
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Peter Fox MS said:
“If Labour spent their full consequential funding from the UK Conservative Government, our Welsh NHS would be nearly £1.5 billion better off. Instead, Labour have chosen to prioritise pet projects like Senedd expansion and blanket 20mph limits.
“Labour’s first concern must be funding our public services not changing road signs, smothering business growth and pushing through more politicians in Cardiff Bay.”
Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS added:
“We know that Labour is only spending £1.05 of the £1.20 that they receive for every £1 spent on health in England – our Welsh NHS is being shortchanged.
“At the very least, Labour should vote with us and commit to no further cuts to our health service to limit the damage they have done so far. Restoring our Welsh NHS is the number one priority for the Welsh Conservatives.”
The motion which will be debated on Wednesday reads:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the First Minister’s claims that Welsh public services must make cuts due to a £900m shortfall during this financial year.
2. Recognises that the Welsh Government has received record levels of funding from the UK Government in recent years.
3. Regrets that despite the Welsh Government receiving 20 per cent more to spend per person on health in Wales than spending per person on health in England, not all of that funding is being currently being allocated to the Welsh NHS.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure the health budget is protected from any further cuts during the current financial year.
