The Minister for Business and Budget, Jane Hutt, has yesterday [November 17] laid the Welsh Assembly Government’s Draft Budget for 2011-12. The Draft Budget underlines the Assembly Government’s commitment to protecting health, social services, schools and skills – and provides vital help for the most vulnerable people in our society; support for children and older people; and a boost for our fragile economic recovery.
“We have been strategic and pragmatic in the way we allocate our funding. By protecting schools, skills and early years budgets while honouring our ongoing commitments, we will continue to make Wales an education success story.”
The Budget allocated to Children Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills reflects the positive commitment to protect funding for schools and skills, and to protect those front line services which impact directly on children.
Looking forward over the next three years, DCELLS will see an increase in its baseline revenue funding of £10.8m. However next year there is a reduction of £21.1m and 2012 – 13 it will increase by £8.6m and then by £23.3m in 2013 – 14.
Capital funding however has reduced by £10.1m next year with further reductions of £12.1m, (7%) and £17.5m, (10.9%) for the next two years from 2012-13.
