Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal Democrats

One Wales Government anniversary

Peter Black: A few Ministers, over the last few weeks, have said in response to several attacks that you have to be in government to change things. However, what is clear and what has been demonstrated in the 'One Wales' celebrations, and over the last year, is that it is no good being in government if you cannot deliver on your own targets and agenda. That failure has been laid out starkly for us in the Welsh Liberal Democrat contributions today.

In education, the foundation phase has been underfunded. The Government has missed its own target on school buildings. It stated that all school buildings would be fit for purpose by 2010, and that target was reiterated by Jane Hutt in the present Government. An increase of around 1.5 per cent in funding for further education means that many colleges are not able to deliver the Government's skills agenda. There is also a £61 million funding gap in higher education, and despite a personal commitment by the First Minister to try to close that gap, action has still not been taken.

In local government, we have a below inflation increase in funding, which is hitting schools and social services. We have seen a failure to help pensioners this year as promised, and a failure to deliver on a Welsh language daily newspaper, as set out in 'One Wales'. Post offices are being closed, and yet there is no movement on bringing the post office development fund forward, even though Labour Members, such as Alun Davies, have called for it. There have been delays in finalising the local transport services grant, which has further strained councils' ability to fund essential services. The Government has also failed to meet its own targets on child poverty and fuel poverty, and it continues not to meet those targets.

The Government talks about providing 6,500 affordable homes, but there has been no significant progress in delivering those homes. There is no indication that the number of new homes being built is greater than in previous years, and the over-reliance on section 106 has now been hit by the credit crunch, removing an important plank in delivering that policy. There is no means of measuring achievement on that policy, and when you take into account sales and demolitions, the likelihood is that we have fewer affordable homes now than we did a year ago. Repossessions are up by 75 per cent, and local councils are under pressure to deal with that, and yet we have no money for homelessness facilities and support.

Alun Davies rose-

Peter Black: I have not finished yet, Alun-sit down. Wales is at the bottom of the GVA league table for regions and nations of the UK. Our GVA is now 78.1 per cent of the UK average, down from 85.4 per cent in 1989. The 'One Wales' anniversary celebrations that we are now in the middle of have two features. We have Plaid and Labour claiming all the credit for themselves, with Don Touhig playing Banquo at the feast. We have been treated to a long list of inputs and questionable half-out-comes,but little actual achievements.

Alun Davies claimed that this motion was cynical and pointless-he has clearly been reading his own One Wales Government propaganda. Alun Ffred joined in, but he should not forget-

Alun Davies: Will you give way?

Peter Black: I am not giving way. Alun Ffred should not forget the motion that Plaid Cymru tabled when it was in opposition. It was a one-line motion that stated, 'This Government is failing the people of Wales'.You have played the game yourselves. We are doing exactly what we should be doing and being an effective opposition, in the same way that you did when you were in opposition.

Alun Davies rose-

Peter Black: Please sit down, Alun. We have been in government, and we have taken hard decisions.

Alun Davies: Will you give way?

Peter Black: No. I am not giving way.

The Deputy Presiding Officer: Order. Please sit down, Alun Davies. [Interruption.] Peter, I have not asked you to start again. If you do not wish to take an intervention,Peter, just say 'no', and do not shout at people to sit down. I have said before to Members that if anyone is to tell anyone to sit down it is me. Please continue.

Peter Black: I have said 'no' on a couple of occasions, Deputy Presiding Officer; Alun Davies obviously wanted to heckle me, even though I was not taking an intervention.

The Deputy Presiding Officer: Well, I did not hear you say that. Carry on.

Peter Black: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. As I was saying, we have been in government, and we have made hard decisions. However, when we did so, we put together a programme that could be paid for and was deliverable. There is the major failing of this Government. We are not asking the Government to spend money on our uncosted promises, we are asking it to deliver on its uncosted promises. The people of Wales should expect nothing less. These promises were made by Labour and Plaid Cymru, and there is nothing unreasonable in expecting them to deliver on them. Yet we still have Plaid Cymru and Labour making excuses. They say that Government is hard, that the UK Government has short-changed them, and that they have to make hard decisions. That is true, but you also need to go into Government with both eyes open, and cut your cloth accordingly. The biggest failure of this Government is not just that it has missed key targets, but that it has made promises that it cannot afford, and cannot deliver on. How cynical is that, Alun?