Written Statement: Delivering the First 100 Days Plan

The new Welsh Government has been working at pace since May’s Senedd election to deliver real change for people across Wales.

As promised during the election campaign, we have focused on a plan covering the first 100 days from the first meeting of the new Welsh Government Cabinet on 18 May.  

Our first 100 days provided an opportunity to begin delivery of our key priorities and lay the foundations for the longer-term reforms Wales needs. On this, the 100^th day since Cabinet first met, I am pleased to confirm that over the last 100 days all initial planned activity on each of the commitments has now been completed. 

For example, from September more secondary school pupils in Wales will be eligible for Free School Meals, with schools providing those meals over the school term. Hundreds more families in Wales will benefit from the expansion of funded childcare provision. We’re tackling waiting times by investing over £145m and establishing an expert group to develop options for surgical hubs across Wales. Preparations are in place for this autumn’s launch of a new coach service between the north and the south of Wales which will cut journey times by over an hour.

And we’ve stood up for Wales by making the case for Welsh communities to the UK Government - on funding, on HS2 consequentials, on environmental justice for coalfield communities, and on the need for a new Wales Bill.

One commitment relating to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 requires legislative changes before it can be completed. We remain committed to exempting refuges from the Act and we are currently preparing to consult on proposals to achieve this. 

The First Minister will provide further detail on the delivery of the 100-day commitments next week. A progress report will also be published and made available on the Welsh Government website from 2 September.

The work, however, does not stop here. The commitments will be important building blocks for our action over the rest of this Senedd term.

As we move into the next phase of this administration, we will drive forward delivery on the real priorities of the people of Wales:

• cutting waiting lists, and building a health and care service fit for the future
• helping families with the cost of living through affordable, quality childcare
• unleashing the potential of the Welsh economy, and creating good, well-paid jobs
• raising standards in our schools and ensuring the best conditions for learning
• tackling child poverty
• standing up for Wales and demanding fairness from Westminster

We have also published the first iteration of a digital dashboard to enable people to track progress against these priorities. The dashboard provides information on what we’re doing, as well as a focused set of data to show whether those actions are making a difference to people in Wales. It delivers on an action included in the 100 Days Plan and demonstrates our wider commitment to being the most open Welsh Government since the start of devolution. A link to the dashboard is available at the bottom of this statement.

This statement is being issued during recess to keep Members informed. Should Members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.