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The Welsh government is facing its worst settlement since before the pandemic unless it gets a cash boost in Wednesday’s budget, finance minister Elin Jones has warned.<\/b><\/p>\n
She said the money for day-to-day spending next year in things like health and education was looking at a real-terms cut of 0.7%.<\/p>\n
Llanelli’s Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith urged the chancellor to relax restrictions on ministers in Cardiff borrowing for investment.<\/p>\n
The UK government’s budget has huge implications for Wales as extra spending in England could lead to more cash available to Cardiff ministers.<\/p>\n
Mayors and regional leaders in England are expected to get extra funding for social and affordable housing and more flexibility and authority over investment decisions.<\/p>\n
But it is unclear what that will mean for Wales.<\/p>\n
Jones told Politics Wales<\/a>: “This will be very possibly then the worst settlement that we’ve had since the period before Covid.<\/p>\n “It will mean, given the inflation in the system as well, that the NHS and other aspects of public services in Wales will face a very difficult and challenging year.”<\/p>\n She wanted Welsh ministers to be given the same powers as the Scottish government<\/a> in being able to access reserves to fund spending commitments.<\/p>\n