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| Welsh budget set for vote in assembly | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A vote by AMs on the Welsh government's last budget before the assembly election will be held later. | |
| Spending on the NHS will increase by £278m in 2016/17, a rise of more than 4%, but local authorities face an average cut of 2%. | Spending on the NHS will increase by £278m in 2016/17, a rise of more than 4%, but local authorities face an average cut of 2%. |
| The Welsh Labour government has said it has had to make some tough decisions, with higher education spending also hit. | The Welsh Labour government has said it has had to make some tough decisions, with higher education spending also hit. |
| The Lib Dems are expected to abstain, allowing the budget to be passed. | The Lib Dems are expected to abstain, allowing the budget to be passed. |
| In total, health spending will rise to 48% of entire Welsh government spending, the highest proportion it has ever been. | In total, health spending will rise to 48% of entire Welsh government spending, the highest proportion it has ever been. |
| While spending on education and skills is due to increase by 1.1%, ministers have been urged to reconsider cuts of around a third to the body which funds universities, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. | While spending on education and skills is due to increase by 1.1%, ministers have been urged to reconsider cuts of around a third to the body which funds universities, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. |
| Talks have also been held over whether to cap the worst of the cuts which are due to be felt by rural councils. | Talks have also been held over whether to cap the worst of the cuts which are due to be felt by rural councils. |
| A number of authorities, including Powys, Ceredigion and Monmouthshire, are facing cuts of between 3% and 4% because of the funding formula which can disproportionately affected areas with relatively sparse populations. | A number of authorities, including Powys, Ceredigion and Monmouthshire, are facing cuts of between 3% and 4% because of the funding formula which can disproportionately affected areas with relatively sparse populations. |
| The budget is the result of a two-year deal between Labour and the Liberal Democrats after extra money was allocated to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. | The budget is the result of a two-year deal between Labour and the Liberal Democrats after extra money was allocated to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| The Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have said they will vote against the budget, but it will be passed as the Lib Dems will abstain. | The Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have said they will vote against the budget, but it will be passed as the Lib Dems will abstain. |
| Rises in the economy and environment budgets are largely made up of capital spending increases in areas like roads and flood defences. | Rises in the economy and environment budgets are largely made up of capital spending increases in areas like roads and flood defences. |
| Finance Minister Jane Hutt said £120m of investment in infrastructure could create around 2,000 jobs during construction, "boosting growth and supporting the delivery of more efficient public services". | Finance Minister Jane Hutt said £120m of investment in infrastructure could create around 2,000 jobs during construction, "boosting growth and supporting the delivery of more efficient public services". |
| Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Nick Ramsay claimed Labour had "starved our health service of £1bn". | Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Nick Ramsay claimed Labour had "starved our health service of £1bn". |
| "Any piecemeal pre-election funding is an admission of failure for previous decisions and - quite simply - is too little, too late for many communities across Wales," he added. | "Any piecemeal pre-election funding is an admission of failure for previous decisions and - quite simply - is too little, too late for many communities across Wales," he added. |
| A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "We want to see a reversal of the unprecedented cuts to the higher education sector, we want the unbalanced local government settlement to be addressed, and we want to see the Welsh government invest in every part of Wales, instead of continuing to fund preparatory works on the new M4." | A Plaid Cymru spokesman said: "We want to see a reversal of the unprecedented cuts to the higher education sector, we want the unbalanced local government settlement to be addressed, and we want to see the Welsh government invest in every part of Wales, instead of continuing to fund preparatory works on the new M4." |