Chancellor’s Spring Budget fallen well short of providing support people need during cost-of-living crisis, says Finance Minister

The Chancellor’s Spring Budget has fallen well short of providing the support people need during the cost-of-living crisis, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said today.

She said the Chancellor made a series of deliberate choices to prioritise “petrol and potholes” over investment in public services, pay and economic growth.

And although the Office for Budget Responsibility today set out a positive forecast for inflation to fall back from its record high levels by the end of this year, its analysis shows that living standards are expected to fall by 6% between 2021-22 and 2023-24 – the largest decrease since records began.

Responding to the Budget, which will provide Wales with an additional £178m of funding over two years, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said:

“Today we saw a less than bare minimum Budget, which misses the big picture, at a time when people’s financial situations are worsening.

“It fell short of providing meaningful support – there were sticking plasters when we needed significant action. Potholes and petrol took precedence over pay rises for teachers and NHS staff.

“Critical public services which we all rely on continue to face devastating cuts – there was no extra funding for health, social services or local government.

“The decision to maintain the energy price guarantee for a further three months will provide some comfort for people in this ongoing cost-of-living crisis and is something we have been consistently calling for.

“We have also been calling on the UK Government to make Universal Credit fairer and for energy companies to stop penalising people on prepayment meters. We have seen small steps in the right direction in these areas.”

She added:

“The Chancellor today made some big and long-term commitments on childcare in England. We are already rolling-out a phased expansion of our childcare offer to two-year-olds as part of our Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru.

“We will consider how best to use the consequentials from this announcement as a Cabinet, to best meet the needs of people in Wales.

“But we need to be really clear: this Budget does not go far enough in addressing the very real challenges people are facing.

“The Chancellor had the financial levers and capacity to provide comprehensive and meaningful support, as well as to invest in public services, public sector pay and economic growth. What we have seen today has unfortunately fallen short.

“It was also disappointing to see the lack of specific investment in Wales. The Chancellor did not take advantage of the investment opportunities in rail, research and renewable energy.

“We will be carefully analysing the detail of the announcements made today and will be providing more information about what they mean for Wales in the coming days and weeks.”

‘Cyllideb nesa peth i ddim’ gan y Canghellor – Llywodraeth Cymru

Nid yw Cyllideb Wanwyn y Canghellor yn cyrraedd y nod o ran rhoi’r cymorth sydd ei angen ar bobl yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw, meddai’r Gweinidog Cyllid Rebecca Evans heddiw.

Dywedodd fod y Canghellor wedi gwneud nifer o ddewisiadau bwriadol i flaenoriaethu “petrol a thyllau ffordd” dros fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, cyflogau a thwf economaidd.

Ac er bod y Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol heddiw wedi nodi rhagolygon cadarnhaol y bydd chwyddiant yn lleihau erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon ar ôl cyrraedd y lefelau uchaf erioed, mae ei dadansoddiad yn dangos y disgwylir i safonau byw syrthio i’w lefelau isaf ers dechrau cadw cofnodion.

Mewn ymateb i’r Gyllideb, a fydd yn rhoi £178 miliwn ychwanegol o gyllid i Gymru dros ddwy flynedd, dywedodd y Gweinidog Cyllid Rebecca Evans:

“Cyllideb nesa peth i ddim a gafwyd heddiw, nad yw’n ystyried y darlun cyfan, a hynny ar adeg pan fo sefyllfa ariannol pobl yn gwaethygu.

“Nid yw wedi cyrraedd y nod o ran darparu cymorth ystyrlon – mae’n cynnig atebion annigonol tymor byr yn lle’r camau gweithredu sylweddol a oedd eu hangen. Mae tyllau ffordd a phetrol wedi cael blaenoriaeth dros godiadau cyflog i athrawon a staff y GIG.

“Mae gwasanaethau cyhoeddus hanfodol, y mae pob un ohonom yn dibynnu arnynt, yn parhau i wynebu toriadau aruthrol – doedd dim cyllid ychwanegol ar gyfer iechyd, gwasanaethau cymdeithasol na llywodraeth leol.

“Bydd y penderfyniad i gadw’r gwarant pris ynni am dri mis arall yn rhoi peth cysur i bobl yn yr argyfwng costau byw parhaus hwn, a dyma rywbeth rydyn ni wedi bod yn galw amdano yn gyson.

“Rydyn ni hefyd wedi bod yn galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud y Credyd Cynhwysol yn decach, ac wedi galw ar gwmnïau ynni i roi’r gorau i gosbi pobl sy’n defnyddio mesuryddion rhagdalu. Gwelwyd camau bychain i’r cyfeiriad cywir yn y meysydd hyn.

Ychwanegodd:

“Mae’r Canghellor heddiw wedi gwneud ymrwymiadau mawr a hirdymor ar ofal plant yn Lloegr.

“Rydyn ni eisoes yn ehangu ein cynnig gofal plant fesul cam i blant dwy oed fel rhan o’n Cytundeb Cydweithio gyda Phlaid Cymru.

“Fel Cabinet, byddwn yn ystyried sut y gallwn ddefnyddio’r cyllid canlyniadol o’r cyhoeddiad hwn yn y ffordd orau, i ddiwallu anghenion pobl Cymru.

“Ond mae angen inni fod yn glir iawn nad yw’r Gyllideb hon yn ddigonol i fynd i’r afael â’r heriau gwirioneddol y mae pobl yn eu hwynebu.

“Roedd gan y Canghellor yr ysgogiadau ariannol a’r gallu i gynnig cymorth cynhwysfawr ac ystyrlon, yn ogystal ag i fuddsoddi mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, cyflog y sector cyhoeddus a thwf economaidd. ‘Dyw’r hyn yr ydyn ni wedi’i weld heddiw ddim yn ddigon, yn anffodus.

“Siom hefyd oedd gweld y diffyg buddsoddi penodol yng Nghymru. Mae’r Canghellor wedi methu â manteisio ar gyfleoedd i fuddsoddi mewn rheilffyrdd, mewn ymchwil ac mewn ynni adnewyddadwy.

“Byddwn yn dadansoddi manylion y cyhoeddiadau sydd wedi’u gwneud heddiw yn ofalus, ac yn rhoi rhagor o wybodaeth am beth mae hyn yn ei olygu i Gymru yn ystod y dyddiau a’r wythnosau nesaf.”

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