OREANDA-NEWS. The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru have today agreed a multi-million pound deal, as part of the draft Budget 2017-18.

The agreement delivers a package of spending commitments reflecting Plaid Cymru’s policy priorities amounting to £119m.It includes an extra £30m for higher and further education; £25m for local government and £44m additional investment in the health service. The Welsh language will receive an additional £5m as a result of the Budget agreement, and funding for the arts will rise by £3m.A full breakdown of the spending commitments is below.The draft Budget will also reflect the joint policy areas where the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru have common ground, which were outlined in the Compact to Move Wales Forward, agreed in May. Funding allocated in the draft Budget to these commitments will ensure a rapid start to delivery on these shared priority areas.The Budget agreement was negotiated through the formal Finance Liaison Committee set up between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.In addition to the funding commitments, a number of other measures have also been agreed.These include a commitment to explore the development of an all-Wales plan to increase the level of Welsh-domiciled medical students in Wales, including the development of medical training in North Wales, and exploring options to accelerate the Llandeilo bypass scheme if more capital funding becomes available through the Autumn Statement.Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:

“The establishment of the Finance Liaison Committee has been a milestone in the maturity of Welsh politics and the productive discussions we have had with Plaid Cymru have been conducted in that spirit.

"As the First Minister said at the start of this Assembly, no party has a monopoly on good ideas and we have been able to incorporate many of Plaid Cymru’s spending plans into this draft Budget.

"The Budget agreement delivers a kick start to delivery for many key policies and programmes so the people of Wales can start to see their benefits as early as possible.”

 

Plaid Cymru spending priorities included in the Budget agreement   2017-18 £m
 HE funding/FE funding and learning pathways 30
 Visit Wales 5
 Welsh for Adults/National Language Agency 5
 Arts funding 3
 Funding for end-of-life care 1
Funding for a pilot to end town centre car parking charges  

3
Investment in healthcare professional education, including medical schools 7
New diagnostic equipment (capital) 15
Increase in mental health spending 20
Additional funding for local authorities 25
Additional funding for Safer Routes to Schools programme and school transport 1.5
Funding for eating disorder and gender identity clinics 1
Feasibility study into reopening Carmarthen to Aberystwyth railway line               0.3
Feasibility into national cycleway 0.2
Ports infrastructure fund 2
Total      £119m