Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:35 pm on 18 September 2019.
Thank you very much, diolch yn fawr iawn, for raising that issue. In terms of the pensions cost, you'll be aware that the total cost of the pension changes for devolved and non-devolved public pension schemes in Wales is £255 million for this year, and the UK Government only gave us £219 million in respect of those increases, with left us with a funding gap this year of £36 million, which the Welsh Government had to find. Looking ahead to next year, I think we can expect that that funding gap will increase, potentially up to £50 million. So, that does put an additional pressure on Welsh Government, and it's important to recognise as well, in terms of our funding round for next year, that the 15 per cent cut that we had this year has been baselined. So, we will have that 15 per cent cut now in future budgets as well. So, I think that's something that we continue to take up with the UK Government, because, in terms of our funding agreement with the UK Government, when they do provide pressures on us as a Government as a result of things that they have raised, then it is incumbent on them to provide us with that funding, which they haven't done.
Specifically with regard to FE and the pensions there, those are discussions that I am having with the education Minister.