Public Services in Blaenau Gwent

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:35 pm on 11 October 2022.

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Photo of Peter Fox Peter Fox Conservative 1:35, 11 October 2022

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I was talking about local public services. For example, it's a particularly challenging time for local government, as you know, with the increased service pressures they have, and the demand is particularly felt in social care, both in adult and children's services. In Monmouthshire, for instance, the unmet care need is over 2,000 hours a week at the moment. Whilst I know some of the £70 million consequential, which is, I know, a small amount, linked to the stamp duty announcement in England, will fund part of your land transaction tax announcements, there is in the region of £46 million left from that announcement that I believe is still unallocated. First Minister, I know the Government has demands on its budget, but will you consider funnelling some of that money into local government to help them cope with the ever-increasing social care pressures, because, as we all know, that is fundamental to unlocking that massive problem we've got with the underperformance of our NHS in this country at the moment?