Welsh Labour Manifesto 2016 PROSPEROUS & SECURE 1
PROSPEROUS & SECURE The greatest benefit of prosperity is the security it brings to individuals. So our aim is clear: better jobs, closer to home. In the fourth Assembly Welsh Labour stood up for Wales and led the UK in economic growth and in reducing youth unemployment. In the fifth Assembly we will go full throttle to deliver prosperity with work and secure homes for all. We believe that public services should be delivered though the public sector, but we also see economic growth being driven by the private sector in a true social partnership. Our economic strategy is based on the principle of securing greater wealth for all, through creating better jobs, closer to home and growing more businesses that are sustainable and contribute to increasing our GVA. Priority sectors, enterprise zones, city regions and city deals provide the vehicles for accelerating growth. Our improving education sector will provide an ever more skilled workforce capable of grasping the opportunities of a blossoming economy. Regional skills partnerships are therefore pivotal in ensuring alignment of what the economy requires and what education and skills providers offer. Welsh Labour has proved that we can work with business to secure a robust recovery, even in times of shrinking budgets. In recent times, Wales has routinely reported lower unemployment than London and Scotland unthinkable in years gone by. We Have: Secured record inward investment, leading to 10,000 more jobs Created 15,000 jobs for young unemployed people Trained 100,000 apprentices in the last five years The joint highest rise in economic growth in the UK Built 10,000 affordable homes Brought 5,000 empty homes back into use Helped 3,300 home buyers through Help to Buy Delivered over 500 Community Support Officers Halted blacklisting in the construction sector Invested 5.6 billion in infrastructure projects across Wales Now we must build on these foundations. 2
Childcare For parents, for business, and for the economy - we want to deliver a better deal on childcare. As the party for equality, business and the party that has always been there for working families, we have listened and we will: Create the most generous childcare offer anywhere in the UK: 30 hours free childcare a week for the working parents of three and four year olds, 48 weeks of the year Maintain Flying Start for over 36,000 children in their early years Retain the Free School Breakfast programme, which boosts attendance, attainment and gives added flexibility to working parents Supporting businesses Wales is on the up. We have inward investment at record levels, rising employment, a skilled workforce and there s never been a better time to set up your own business. To assist businesses of all sizes we will: Support the creation of a Wales development bank Ensure a whole-government approach to competitiveness by requiring a competitiveness plan is developed within all departments Strive to be the most responsive and proactive government in Europe Continue to improve our procurement policy, using new regulatory powers to bring economic, social and community benefits to Wales Eradicate rogue and bad practice through our powers of procurement Seek wherever possible to ensure that government contracts for goods and services are awarded locally. This will help to create employment and training hubs in areas of high economic deprivation, and in doing so, deliver better jobs, closer to home 3
Innovation Tech hubs deliver some of the best opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs to share ideas and exploit the digital economy. We will: Enable the growth of tech hubs, based on the successful Welsh ICE model, especially in towns and cities where there are colleges and universities Support recipients of start-up and entrepreneurship support, as well as Micro-Business Loans beneficiaries, to operate within shared creative spaces Enable the growth of the digital economy and industries of the future across Wales, generating more quality jobs, closer to where people live Create smart towns and cities, where savings in costs, energy and time are made through utilising new technology. We will challenge local authorities to develop plans for creating smart urban centres Drive inward investment, innovation and the creation of new jobs through support for the growing life sciences sector in Wales 4
Small and Medium-Sized businesses We know that small and medium-sized businesses are the life-blood of our economy and we want to give them the support they want and need not tie them up in red-tape. So in the next term we will: Deliver a tax cut, meaning smaller bills for 70,000 businesses and bills reduced to zero for half of all eligible firms Work with all stakeholders to help secure a vibrant future for high streets Enhance support for home-grown businesses that have the potential to be global leaders, by helping to improve marketing, advertising, networking opportunities and investment in skills, which will form the basis of a Business Accelerator Scheme Improve services to enhance business marketing and research capabilities and to secure opportunities to sell goods and services abroad Manufacturing In Wales we have an extensive and diverse range of manufacturing companies which are competing in global markets, championing innovation and working closely with further and higher education to develop skills and research capabilities. We will: Continue to promote manufacturing as a key sector for growth in the Welsh economy Consider the case for a Wales Advanced Manufacturing Institute Continue to press the UK Government to support Welsh manufacturing through investment in infrastructure and action on high energy costs Promote Green Growth in the sector, building on our environmental policies to create sustainable jobs for the future 5
Prosperity for All We want to take a new, holistic approach to investing in the future of our most economically deprived areas. We know that the regeneration of these areas needs to be rooted in economic development, ensuring that every person has the job or training that they need to fulfil their potential. We will: Establish a Ministerial Taskforce for the valleys Pilot a Better Jobs Closer to Home project, designed to create employment and training hubs in areas of high economic deprivation Creative Industries The Creative Sector is the fastest growing priority economic sector in Wales, expanding faster than anywhere else in the UK, outside London. The creative industries in Wales have given the world Dr Who, Sherlock and a plethora of other high quality drama productions. However, continued growth of the sector requires a nimble approach in order to compete with Hollywood, London and the rest of the best. Therefore, we will: Set up a wholly owned subsidiary of the Welsh Government, Creative Wales, to support the sector in Wales. In doing so, we will aim to sustain at least 850 jobs and 40 million a year in production expenditure Ensure closer collaboration with the education sector to ensure a constant pipeline of skills to support the sector s growth Exploit the unparalleled success of the Creative Industries in Wales to promote the country across the UK and the world Co-operatives Co-operatives and mutuals offer significant social and economic benefits, and we are working with the sector to ensure that it plays a central role in the Welsh economy. We will: Continue to implement the recommendations of the Co-operatives and Mutuals Commission which concluded that there was an overwhelming case for co-operatives and mutuals to play a very much greater role in the Welsh economy Ensure that appropriate business support is provided for co-operatives and mutuals, including through the 11 million Welsh Government and EU backed Social Business Wales project, led by the Wales Co-operative Centre Continue to support co-operative responses to our housing needs in Wales Successful, sustainable rural communities The vitality of rural Wales is essential to us as a nation. Rural communities sustain our history, heritage and culture. They help drive our green economy and play an important role in meeting our ambitions and responsibilities on climate change. We have worked closely and in partnership with the farming unions and other key stakeholders to develop a shared vision for agriculture in Wales. Our shared vision is of a modern, prosperous, profitable and resilient agriculture industry, promoting Wales present and future well-being. We 6
will work together through our Strategic Framework for Agriculture and its Partnership Group, and in line with the principles of our Working Smarter initiative, to achieve this. The Rural Development Programme represents a major financial investment in rural Wales by both the European Union and Welsh Government, and we will use it to achieve transformational change in Welsh agriculture in line with our vision of a sustainable, profitable, modern, professional and resilient industry. Under the Welsh Labour Government, food and drink exports have grown faster than UK food and drink exports. We will maintain our commitment to our successful trade development programme, offering one-to-one advice on areas such as developing export strategies and market selection, identifying inmarket opportunities, and supporting companies to visit and exhibit in key overseas markets We know that food tourism has huge potential for Wales, and we retain our commitment to the actions in the Wales Food Tourism Action Plan. We will lead a major push on careers and innovation in the food and drink sector, which will include working with our colleges and Universities. Food and drink as an industry, by its very size and nature, has the potential to bring jobs and income to all parts of Wales. Welsh Labour will continue to champion rural Wales, in contrast to Welsh Tories who would compromise huge investment from Europe for dogmatic purposes. We will: Work with partners to secure a prosperous future for Welsh agriculture, today and into the future Support the work of the panel established following the Tories abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board and build on February s 6% wage increase to create the decently-paid, committed and welltrained workforce needed to take Welsh agriculture forward Make full use of the Rural Community Development Fund to support community-led projects promoting skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship, community energy, rural transport and broadband access Safeguard social housing in rural communities by ending Right to Buy and continuing to support the work of Rural Housing Enablers 7
Help with higher fuel costs in rural areas by continuing to fund the Nest premium for off-gas properties and encouraging the development of oil buying clubs Build on our creation of the Welsh Dairy Leadership Board which is seeking to deliver further support for the sector Work with stakeholders to ensure a fair and equitable share of the red meat levy is returned to Wales Maintain our commitment to our successful food and drink trade development programme and continue Wales success in outperforming the rest of the UK in food and drink exports Take forward the actions in the Wales Food Tourism Action Plan Commission a review of the current wide ranging animal welfare legislation to inform our next steps Oppose any efforts to remove the ban on fox hunting Continue to take a science-led approach to evaluate and review the best way of tackling Bovine TB Town centres and infrastructure In spite of huge Tory cuts the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan has provided increased certainty for investing in the future of our schools, transport, the Welsh NHS, the regeneration of our towns and in flood defences. This work will continue going forwards using vital funding from the EU. No one should have to leave their community in order to move up in the world, so we will build the transport infrastructure needed to better connect people with places of employment and equip people of all ages with the skills needed for a successful career. We talk more about this in the United & Connected chapter. We also recognise that many town centres and local high streets remain at the heart of our communities and will: Work with all stakeholders to help secure a vibrant future for town centres as places to live, work, shop and socialise Encourage councils to be innovative in how they balance the demand for out of town development with the need to maintain thriving town centres Continue our Tidy Towns programme to improve our surroundings and crack down on fly-tipping Deliver the Cardiff City Region Deal and develop a similar deal for Swansea, and Growth Deal for the Mersey Dee area Invest in the infrastructure that remains vital to our economic future, including the M4 relief road, in improvements to the A55 and other trunk roads Work alongside the (UK) National Infrastructure Commission to ensure key investment decisions recognise the needs of Wales 8
Tourism For many communities in Wales tourism is the main provider of employment. We have broken records in the past two years and are outperforming the UK as a whole. More is being spent by visitors to Wales than ever before and overnight visits are increasing rapidly. There is more we can do to support this vital sector, so we will: Fulfil our pledge to increase visitor expenditure over this decade to 2020 Build on the unprecedented success of the Year of Adventure by designating 2017 Year of Legends Continue to invest in schemes and attractions that fit with our strongest appeal to tourists, such as Surf Snowdonia and Zipworld Utilise tourism investment as an incentive for the development of social tourism, enabling people without the means to have a break to experience a visit or holiday away from home Continue our campaign to reduce, or eliminate VAT on tourism venues and services Exploit 2018 Year of the Sea to invest in our seaside towns Tax From April 2018 Wales will have its own devolved taxes. In times of severe austerity driven by a Tory agenda in London, it is essential that everyone contributes their fair share to public services. Our future policy on tax is simple, clear and transparent. Variation of any tax must only be implemented if we benefit together. We will: guarantee not to increase Income Tax in the next term when these powers are devolved to the Welsh Parliament introduce an independent evaluation lock on any tax variation through our new powers such as on Land Transaction Tax or Landfill Disposal Tax continue to demand the devolution of Air Passenger Duty in order to help develop the nation s airports Environment & Sustainable Development We will build on our reputation as world-leaders on sustainable development. Our ground-breaking Future Generations Act has enshrined in law our commitment to develop policy and make decisions on the basis of the long-term good of our country. Our Environment Act sets a target of reducing greenhouse emissions by at least 80% by 2050 and sets a practical framework for achieving this and tackling climate change. Sustainable development will remain a central organising principle of a future Welsh Labour Government, and we will: Further our lead over other nations in recycling and minimising landfill Support the development of more renewable energy projects, including tidal lagoons and community energy schemes Help communities secure affordable and sustainable sources of energy from communal projects Improve the places where people live, as well as protecting the jewels in our crown - whether mountain, coast, marine or countryside Invest in the skills required for the green economy, and promote green growth and innovation Report on the new Well-being indicators to measure the progress our country makes 9
Promote the roll-out of free smart energy meters to all homes to reduce bills Maintain our energy efficiency programmes for homes, delivering more affordable warmth to tens of thousands of people Demand the UK Government commits to bringing all homes up to a Standard Assessment Procedure rating of C by 2035 Continue to invest in flood defence work and take further action to better manage water in our environment Continue our opposition to fracking Further develop our successful scheme to reduce the use of disposable carrier bags Take further action, following the review of designated landscapes we commissioned, to secure living landscapes with vibrant and resilient communities, opportunities for recreation and thriving eco-systems. Mitigating the effects of Welfare Reform We are working to help people cope with the effects of the UK Government s politically-motivated cuts. We cannot do this at the expense of our work to tackle the root causes of poverty by improving the life chances of children and increasing employability. We will, however, continue to do all that we can. We have invested over 40 million in building nearly 800 one and two bedroom homes for those affected by the bedroom tax Our Warm Homes programmes, Nest and Arbed, and our investment in raising standards in social housing, are helping many reduce their fuel bills We fund a range of advice services to assist people needing advice on welfare rights, debt, housing and discrimination issues. These include particular support for families with children with disabilities and older people and carers on income maximisation 10
We have provided extra support for those struggling to pay council tax and, through the Discretionary Housing Payments Fund those struggling to pay their rents as a result of changes to housing benefit Many of our policies generate a social wage which supports living standards. These include our commitment to social housing, subsidised travel, free school breakfasts and free prescriptions Personal Finance We will also help people access affordable credit whatever their status, by assisting credit unions in increasing their capacity and reach. We recognise the need to maximise income through benefit take up campaigns, especially for older people, and supporting advisory services. Therefore, we will: Help credit unions market their services more effectively Encourage payroll deduction schemes Continue to support advisory services such as the CAB, which provide a vital service for many individuals and families Implement the new Financial Inclusion Strategy so that no person in Wales is subjected to financial exclusion Continue to act against scams and support action against cold calling where necessary Digital Security The significance of new and emerging digital technologies is addressed in the United and Connected chapter of this manifesto, but there is also a clear and immediate need for employers to respond to the challenges and opportunities of disruptive technologies. We will: Encourage all businesses to future-proof their operations and we will set new Cyber Essentials requirements for companies wishing to secure sensitive public contracts Use the procurement process to enhance the digital strategies of companies across Wales Lead by example, by challenging the health service and education sector to utilise every opportunity the digital age presents Set the ambitious target of ensuring that at least 95 per cent of the population have digital skills by 2021 11
Housing We believe that everyone has the right to a good quality home and we have worked towards this in partnership with private builders, the private rented sector, councils and housing associations. We have worked with builders and developers to identify obstacles to building and increase the number of homes for sale being built. Our Help to Buy scheme has already supported the delivery of more than 3,000 homes, with 75% going to first time buyers. Our Houses into Homes scheme has brought more than 7,500 properties back into use. We are on track to build 10,000 affordable homes in this Assembly and by protecting social housing and helping local authorities to exit from their previous arrangements with the UK Treasury, we are enabling both Councils and Housing Associations to build with confidence. We have acted to ensure a fairer deal for landlords and tenants by legislating for a compulsory registration scheme for landlords and agents and simplifying and rationalising previous tenancy legislation. Our Supporting People programme supports 60,000 people a year to live independently: these include older people, those with learning difficulties, vulnerable young people, those suffering with mental ill health and those escaping domestic violence. Building on this record, we will: Deliver an extra 20,000 affordable homes next term Continue to bring empty homes back into use, through our Houses into Homes scheme Aim to support construction of more than 6,000 homes through the Help to Buy scheme, offering a helping hand to those who wish to get a first foot on the property ladder Legislate to end the Right to Buy, giving protection to our social housing stock in Wales Ensure that all social housing reaches the Welsh Housing Quality Standards by 2020 Continue to intervene to end homelessness and to provide safe home environments, especially for our young people Explore options for ending land banking. We believe long term partnerships can help deliver the accelerated rate of house building we need, and the quality environments we require Challenge the private rented sector to develop consistent and fair deposit schemes 12
Armed Forces We are proud to support people who have and continue to serve in our armed forces. We will continue to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We will continue to mark the centenary of the First World War through our Cymru n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 programme. Good progress has been made in supporting our Armed Forces community, and we are proud that all 22 local authorities in Wales have signed a Community Covenant and that all Local Health Boards have Covenant Champions in place. Our Defence Privilege Card provides serving and ex-serving personnel and their families with discounts in retail and leisure. Our take-up rates in Wales are much higher than the rest of the UK. We will: Continue with the Armed Forces Expert Group to inform our actions in the 5th term of the Assembly in line with our Armed Forces Covenant Continue to promote the Defence Privilege Card Work with public services in Wales who have already improved the way they identify members of the Armed Forces Community and improved sign-posting and take-up of services, to broaden this good practice Fulfil our promise of free swimming for veterans and serving personnel Increase the amount of military compensation payments which are disregarded in calculating care costs, and from next year, they will be disregarded totally Maintain the valuable national Veterans NHS Wales service, which provides access to evidence-based treatments for veterans with mental health problems Community safety and tackling extremism Safe streets are important to people and we know that Welsh Labour Police and Crime Commissioners want to defend the numbers of police on our streets. Fire and Rescue Services have worked hard protecting the public from fire and a range of broader issues including flooding and responding to medical responses. We will: Place a high priority on tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence by implementing and building on the provisions of our ground-breaking Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Act Continue the work of the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence advisory group to assess capacity and funding issues around refuges in Wales and investigate a sustainable funding model for refuge and other specialist services Work with our Police & Crime Commissioners on issues relating to cybercrime Work with UK Government to tackle extremism, and work with partners to share best practice to help ensure the security of the people of Wales and to act against extremism Campaign to retain our membership of the EU in recognition of the increased security arrangements for the people of Wales Encourage closer joint working between emergency services without giving PCCs responsibility for the Fire Service in Wales Make it a statutory duty for Fire and Rescue Services in Wales to attend flooding incidents Look at continuing funding for Fire and Rescue Services in Wales to assist with medical responses, 13
following the trials undertaken this Assembly term Work with third sector organisations in developing our Welsh Way for women in conflict with the law, focusing on prevention, alternatives to custody and improving the support available to women, including extending the IOM women s pathfinder Our role in the world Over the past 5 years, Wales has raised its profile as a first-class place to visit, to study, to do business and to live. We have hosted major international events such as the NATO Summit, Rugby World Cup games, and an Ashes Test match. Companies from around the world are choosing to locate in Wales, as record investment figures demonstrate. We will: Redouble efforts to promote Wales as the preferred location for investors looking to come to the UK and Europe Continue to work to enhance the profile and reputation of Wales internationally Ensure, in recognising our international obligations to others whether the Wales for Africa programme or co-ordinating the response to the refugee crisis - that Wales plays a determined part in improving the lives of people in war-torn places and disaster zones Continue the work of Plant! planting a tree each in Wales and Mbale in Uganda for every child born in Wales Promote the work of the International Eisteddfod in bringing together different nations Volunteering & Third Sector For many organisations the role of volunteers is of critical importance. Volunteering is not only important for the services an organisation offers, it is also important for the wellbeing of people who might otherwise be inactive in our communities. We will work with partners across all sectors to identify more opportunities for people to volunteer, so that we foster a culture of giving time and skills to causes and organisations that enrich society and our communities. We will: Renew our bond with the Third Sector in order to generate maximum potential for volunteering and to ensure the Third Sector can sustain services Work with the Big Lottery and other funders to ensure Wales gets its fair share of resources Work with lottery distributors to investigate the creation of a large scale sustainability fund for voluntary organisations to grow and succeed Set new and ambitious objectives to grow the number of people who give their time for their own benefit and for the wellbeing of others Only by working together can we create a fairer society and secure prosperity for all. 14
TOGETHER FOR WALES For more information about our Welsh Labour Manifesto and our plans for a Prosperous and Secure Healthy and Active Ambitious and Learning United and Connected Wales, go to: WWW.TOGETHERFOR.WALES 7744_16 Reproduced from electronic media, promoted by David Hagendyk, General Secretary, Welsh Labour, on behalf of Welsh Labour Party, both at 1 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9HA. 15