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The Spring Budget included £149m of additional revenue funding between 2017-18 and 2019-20 and an extra £52m of capital funding for Wales between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford:  

“Ahead of the Budget, I wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to outline my concerns about the UK Government’s intention to press ahead with £3.5bn cuts to public spending in 2019-20. We still have no clarity about these looming cuts, which could result in our Budget being reduced by £175m.  

“The UK Government’s efficiency review will not report until the autumn. I am not prepared to wait until then to find out the impact of more cuts to our Budget. I am seeking urgent assurances from the UK Government that we will discuss early findings well before the autumn.

“In these uncertain times, we have been clear about the need to end austerity and invest in our valued public services and the economy.  

“Additional revenue funding is always needed against the backdrop of continued cuts to our Budget as a result of the UK Government’s pursuit of the damaging policy of austerity.  

“Since 2010, our Budget has been cut by 8% in real terms. Today’s Spring Budget was yet another missed opportunity to end austerity.

“Despite the ongoing cuts to our funding, we have prioritised funding for social care in Wales and spending health and social care is 6% higher in Wales than in England. I’m pleased the Chancellor has followed the Welsh Government’s lead and recognised the importance of social care to the health service.

“In Wales, we have also acted to support those small businesses which have been disproportionately affected by the independent Valuation Office Agency’s revaluation. We have put in place £20m of targeted support for 2017-18, on top of our Small Business Rates Relief scheme.

“The Welsh Government’s Cabinet will now decide how we maximise the additional revenue funding and the very modest increase to our capital budget to support our investment priorities.”

“We have said for some time that the Swansea Bay Region city deal is ready to be signed – we fully recognise the importance of the deal and the positive long-term economic benefits it will bring across the region.  It is disappointing the Chancellor didn’t use this Budget to bring the deal to its conclusion immediately.”

With offices in Norfolk, Florida USA and Shanghai China, STG Aerospace develops innovative and cost-effective aircraft cabin lighting solutions which transform the flying experience. With products installed on over 11,000 aircraft worldwide, representing two thirds of the world’s passenger fleet, STG Aerospace has a global customer base ranging from the largest aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul providers (MROs) and aircraft lessors and airlines.

The open day attracted a range of the companies’ key customers, suppliers, Universities and R&D partners, where they joined management and staff for a tour of its world class Innovation and Engineering Centre. 

Welcoming the news Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:

“STG Aerospace is a recognised market leader in its field and has a quite remarkable global reach, exporting worldwide with its products acknowledged as industry standards. This is a considerable achievement and STG Aerospace is a very welcome addition to the dynamic aerospace sector we have in Wales.

“I am delighted Welsh Government support helped the company establish its new centre in Wales and that it has created significantly more jobs than was originally anticipated which is great news.

“Today marks an important date in STG Aerospace’s business calendar as it marks the completion of its first major strategic investment and enhanced capabilities and I wish the company every success in the future.”

Nigel Duncan, Chief Executive of STG Aerospace, commented:

“The support of the Welsh Government has been pivotal in helping us in establish our Innovation & Engineering Centre. It represents a major step forward for STG Aerospace, enabling us to turn our vision into reality and creating truly human-centric lighting solutions for the aircraft cabin.

“Locating the Centre in Wales, an increasingly important aerospace hub, means that we can recruit from a pool of highly skilled people in the area and strengthen our relationship with Cardiff University, an important partner in our research into the effects of lighting.”

Established in 1995 on the basis of its photoluminescent technology for aviation, STG Aerospace has enjoyed substantial growth year on year, and successfully launches many new product lines including its liTeMood® cabin lighting which significantly enhances the cabin ambience of non-LED-equipped aircraft, bringing them to the same quality standard as brand-new aircraft delivered with the latest LED lighting solutions.

Visitors, including customers and suppliers as well as academics and other Invited guests, gained an insight into some of the company’s latest product developments, including the new LED Reading Light which features a unique patented photometric design that delivers a square lighting profile instead of a circular light source. Along with the world’s first blue glowing photoluminescent floor path marking system, brought to the market by the market-leading saf-Tglo® brand, which has already won a global cabin innovation award.

The independent Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse (APoSM) was asked by the Welsh Government to provide advice on the additional actions needed to tackle the problem of substance misuse in an ageing population.  

Older adults are forming an increasingly large proportion of the population; they are also, as a group, more likely than earlier generations to develop substance misuse problems. This is resulting in greater demands on health, social care and other services.

The Report, published today, concludes that although there is significant work already underway, substance misuse services need to adapt to meet the needs of older adults, and more specialist older adults’ services need to be developed.

Interim Chair of the Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse, Richard Ives, said:

“The proportion of older adults in the population is increasing rapidly, and so is the number of older adults with substance use problems. Services must respond to this social change and need to be flexible in providing effective treatment for older clients.”

In welcoming the Report, Minister for Social Services and Public Health, Rebecca Evans, said:

“Substance misuse among older adults is a growing problem. Levels of alcohol and drug misuse – including illicit drugs and prescription and over-the-counter medication – is a cause of concern.

“The Welsh Government, together with Public Health Wales, is taking forward a range of actions to support this group of people, including implementing a new treatment framework specifically targeted at older substance misusers.  

“But we recognise that challenges remain and we agreed that APoSM should explore and advise the Welsh Government on this, to examine what more could be done to tackle this issue.  I would like to thank the Panel for this comprehensive Report which will be a useful contribution to our evidence base on substance misuse among older adults, as we look to build on the good work already underway in Wales.”