, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 7
You talked about some of those aspects there—. Some of those, like the baby bundle—. That doesn't have a huge cost to it, but the benefit more than outweighs the cost, from what I've read about that and listened to. From your understanding—. It's a limited…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 7
So, do you think the Welsh Government have sufficiently prioritised that funding to tackle some of those, or alleviate some of those pressures? And what impact do you think that's going to have on supporting people who are experiencing increases in their cost…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 7
Fantastic. Well, thank you very much for making the time to be able to come and discuss the budget with us today. As you'll be well aware, there will be a transcript available for you afterwards to check for accuracy. I'd like to start by looking at the…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 7
Great, we're back now with our evidence session No. 7 on the Welsh Government draft budget, and we've got our next witness from the Bevan Foundation. I'll ask Victoria just to introduce herself. Diolch.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Thank you very much. We've run a little bit over, but, as always, very interesting to have you here with us and to go through the challenges and the opportunities within the budget. So, thank you for making the time. I know you're particularly busy people…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Yes, of course. We've gone over a little bit, but that's okay.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Right, okay. Thank you. Sorry to cut across you there.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
So, actually, the heralded £175 million isn't £175 million, it's actually £150 million.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
So, it's not real money, it's accounting money, if you like.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Just on the point of available capital, and it's probably quite a technical question, in the paper to the Health and Social Care Committee, the draft budget says that the £60 million of the £175 million increase in general capital funding for health and…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Sorry, yes—.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Catherine, did you want to come at it from—?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
You're nodding away there, so, yes, let's—. Jane.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Actually, Jane, did you want to come in?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Okay. Thank you. I'll bring in Sam, then, for some final questions.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Great. Anything on that from a social services side, with regard to spending capital? I suppose it mainly comes in through local government, capital into local government and, obviously, as mentioned, the rules are slightly different there. Lance or Jane, any…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Lovely. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
I'll bring Mike in on a couple of questions, and then come to Sam, then, to close.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Catherine's indicated there, so yes.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
I'll bring Rhianon Passmore in now with some questions around financial pressure. Maybe, reflecting on what Darren and others have said, maybe, in our papers, question 8 might be appropriate to bring in at that point, and then come from there. Rhianon. Hang…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Darren, yes.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Jane, from a treasurer point of view, managing this—and we know that the money is likely to flow down from Westminster through to Welsh Government to local authorities in particular—is there a challenge in timing and in budgeting and in making sure you have a…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
It's the challenge with timing, I suppose, with that.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
What about national insurance?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 6
Do you want to carry on with the workforce things and then I'll go to Rhianon for the—?
