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Opposition 'breach of faith' claim over budget denied | Opposition 'breach of faith' claim over budget denied |
(about 14 hours later) | |
Welsh ministers have denied opposition accusations that they have acted in bad faith on education. | Welsh ministers have denied opposition accusations that they have acted in bad faith on education. |
The row centres on the Pupil Deprivation Grant (PDG), to be spent on pupils eligible for free school meals. | The row centres on the Pupil Deprivation Grant (PDG), to be spent on pupils eligible for free school meals. |
The PDG was extended as part of a deal with the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru to allow the Welsh government's budget to be passed last year. | |
The two parties said ministers had broken a pledge that PDG spending should be extra money for schools. | The two parties said ministers had broken a pledge that PDG spending should be extra money for schools. |
The PDG works out at £918 per pupil and has been used for schemes such as numeracy and literacy projects, and support for teaching assistants. | The PDG works out at £918 per pupil and has been used for schemes such as numeracy and literacy projects, and support for teaching assistants. |
The Welsh government has also committed itself to protecting education spending, by setting it at 1% above any changes to the money it receives from Westminster. | The Welsh government has also committed itself to protecting education spending, by setting it at 1% above any changes to the money it receives from Westminster. |
The opposition parties said comments from the education minister, and assurances given to them privately, led them to believe the PDG would be separate from this commitment. | The opposition parties said comments from the education minister, and assurances given to them privately, led them to believe the PDG would be separate from this commitment. |
'Misled?' | 'Misled?' |
At an assembly committee hearing in October, Huw Lewis said: "If any local authority officer or politician is under the impression that the uplift in the PDG is a get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to the 1% commitment, I will disabuse them of that very rapidly". | At an assembly committee hearing in October, Huw Lewis said: "If any local authority officer or politician is under the impression that the uplift in the PDG is a get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to the 1% commitment, I will disabuse them of that very rapidly". |
In the assembly in April Mr Lewis told Lib Dem AM Peter Black he had "repeatedly" told councils they could not use the PDG to meet the 1% commitment. | In the assembly in April Mr Lewis told Lib Dem AM Peter Black he had "repeatedly" told councils they could not use the PDG to meet the 1% commitment. |
On Tuesday, Plaid Cymru education spokesman Simon Thomas accused ministers of a "serious breach of confidence" that could affect Plaid Cymru's attitude to a future budget deal with Labour. | On Tuesday, Plaid Cymru education spokesman Simon Thomas accused ministers of a "serious breach of confidence" that could affect Plaid Cymru's attitude to a future budget deal with Labour. |
At First Minister's Questions he said: "Is this a sign of the government negotiating a budget deal in good faith and has the minister misled the assembly?" | At First Minister's Questions he said: "Is this a sign of the government negotiating a budget deal in good faith and has the minister misled the assembly?" |
Local government minister Lesley Griffiths, who was standing in for Carwyn Jones, said the minister had not misled the assembly and ministers had been "completely transparent on the matter". | Local government minister Lesley Griffiths, who was standing in for Carwyn Jones, said the minister had not misled the assembly and ministers had been "completely transparent on the matter". |
Lib Dem education spokesman Aled Roberts said: "Both [Finance Minister] Jane Hutt and Huw Lewis have said publicly and privately that the PDG is a standalone grant and should not be used to meet other commitments." | Lib Dem education spokesman Aled Roberts said: "Both [Finance Minister] Jane Hutt and Huw Lewis have said publicly and privately that the PDG is a standalone grant and should not be used to meet other commitments." |
'Proud' | 'Proud' |
But the Welsh government has now made clear that the 1% education spending increase is made up, in part, by the PDG. | But the Welsh government has now made clear that the 1% education spending increase is made up, in part, by the PDG. |
A spokesman said: "We have written to all local authorities in Wales last year to explain exactly how this year's 1% increase in education funding would be met from a range of Welsh government funding sources, as it is every year. | A spokesman said: "We have written to all local authorities in Wales last year to explain exactly how this year's 1% increase in education funding would be met from a range of Welsh government funding sources, as it is every year. |
"The important fact is that we have increased spending on Welsh schools by more than 1% above overall changes to the block grant since our commitment in 2011/12 and we're proud of this achievement". | "The important fact is that we have increased spending on Welsh schools by more than 1% above overall changes to the block grant since our commitment in 2011/12 and we're proud of this achievement". |
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