6. Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2018-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:19 pm on 10 July 2018.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 4:19, 10 July 2018

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the usual motion for the first supplementary budget before the National Assembly.

This is the first opportunity to amend budgetary plans for the current financial year, which were published and approved by the Assembly in January. The first supplementary budget is often quite narrow in scope, and this year is no exception. It is mainly administrative in nature. It regularises a number of allocations from our reserves and transfers between portfolios. It includes adjustments to the overall level of resources available to Wales, reflecting transfers and consequentials received from the UK Government, and it reflects changes in annually managed expenditure forecasts in line with our latest details provided to HM Treasury. It nevertheless represents an important part of the budget and scrutiny system of the National Assembly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Finance Committee for their consideration of this budget and the report it has provided with its seven conclusions published at the end of last week. I will formally respond to that report, of course, in the usual way.

A number of the changes set out in this first supplementary budget regularise the position in respect of allocations from the capital reserves announced alongside the final budget debate and as part of the Wales infrastructure investment plan midpoint review. These allocations utilise both general capital and financial transaction capital budgets. Over £70 million is allocated to the health and social services main expenditure group to support improvements to the NHS, such as neonatal services in Carmarthen and Swansea and to help replace the Welsh ambulance fleet. Thirty-five million pounds is allocated to the education portfolio to accelerate the twenty-first century schools programme and to pilot a new model of community learning hubs, particularly in Valleys communities.

Over £55 million is allocated to the economy and transport MEG to support the roll-out of integrated active travel, developments in the Cardiff capital region and Tech Valleys, next generation broadband and to enhance the Cadw visitor experience. A small number of allocations have been made from the revenue reserves in this supplementary budget, including £7.2 million through the immigration health surcharge, £5 million to support minority ethnic achievement and Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, £1.8 million to expand the pupil development grant, which will replace the school uniform grant, and £1 million to continue free weekend bus travel on the TrawsCymru network. Dirprwy Lywydd, as a result of the changes in this supplementary budget, the revenue reserves stand at £129 million, with capital reserves at £126 million for general capital and £127 million for financial transaction capital.