Responding to the First Minister’s statement on the new Welsh Government’s Legislative Programme, Darren Millar MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said:
“After 27 years of economic stagnation and declining performance in our public services under Labour and Plaid Cymru, Wales needs a legislative programme focused on growing the economy, raising school standards and addressing the crisis in our NHS.
“There are no measures in this programme to grow the Welsh economy, support vulnerable pupils or improve standards of leadership and patient care in the Welsh NHS.
“We welcome the proposals to help communities protect local assets with a Community Right to Buy, but we also need to restore the housing Right to Buy scheme so more people can achieve the dream of home ownership.
“This programme lacks any measures to protect residents from excessive rises in council tax. We need to give the public the right to vote on significant increases in a local referendum.
“While we welcome the warm words on rural proofing, we need a wider piece of legislation to ensure fair funding for every part of Wales.
“This programme appears to assume it will secure support from other parties, yet this minority government has made no attempt to engage or build consensus. The Welsh Conservatives are always prepared to work with any party where proposals are genuinely in the interests of the people of Wales.”
