A plan for recovery & change Let’s build a better Wales The Welsh Conservative Party Manifesto 2021 Our plan Contents Our plan will kickstart Wales’ economic recovery and rebuild for a stronger, greener, more A plan for recovery and change .......................................................... 2 equal future by: Introduction ..............................................................................................4 • Creating 65,000 new jobs to help the Welsh economy bounce back and give more people the security of a regular wage Our plan for • Guaranteeing the NHS is there for everyone by building five new hospitals and providing Finishing the job on Covid-19 ............................................................ 7 extra funding to the NHS every year, with 3,000 more nurses and 1,200 doctors by 2026 Securing jobs and livelihoods ............................................................9 • Put in law our respect for the Welsh NHS with an NHS Covenant to guarantee increased Building better roads, rail and broadband .................................. 13 investment and support for our NHS heroes for the future Building a better healthcare service for everyone ...................17 • Delivering 5,000 more teachers and more investment in Welsh education to provide the best schools and skills for young people Building better schools, colleges and universities ...................23 Building back greener .........................................................................29 • Building 100,000 new houses in the next decade to kickstart the Welsh economy and give more people the opportunity to own their own home Supporting local communities ........................................................33 More affordable, high quality housing..........................................39 • Investing £2 billion to create modern infrastructure for Wales, including an M4 Relief Road, upgrades to the A55 and A40, and 20,000 green charging points Our legislative programme ................................................................ 40 • Making Wales Net Zero by 2050, with investment in clean energy solutions to reduce carbon emissions, and creating 15,000 new green jobs • Helping people with the cost of living pressure, by delivering a Council Tax freeze for at least the next two years, putting more money in everyone’s pockets The Welsh Conservative Party Manifesto 2021 2 A plan for recovery and change Over the last year our nation has fought the greatest health crisis that the world has seen for over a century. We all know someone who has lost their So as the vaccine rolls out and we look Our plan will kickstart Wales’ economic Delivering 5,000 more teachers and Helping people with the cost of living Andrew RT Davies job, lost their business or suffered a towards recovery, Wales stands at a recovery and rebuild for a stronger, more investment in Welsh education pressure, by delivering a Council Tax Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the to provide the best schools and skills freeze for at least the next two years, devastating loss of a loved one as a result crossroads. And these elections are a real greener, more equal future by: Senedd for young people putting more money in everyone’s of Covid-19. chance to secure the change Wales needs. pockets Creating 65,000 new jobs to help the Building 100,000 new houses in the Our economy is currently experiencing The Welsh Conservatives have a plan for Welsh economy bounce back and give next decade to kickstart the Welsh Our plan for recovery and change is Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP the deepest recession since records change, to get Wales back on track, and more people the security of a regular economy and give more people the credible, costed and reflects the Welsh Prime Minister and Leader of the began, and evidence shows that Welsh build a brighter, more prosperous future. wage opportunity to own their own home Conservatives vision for a brighter future Conservative Party communities could be amongst the worst for Wales. Guaranteeing the NHS is there Investing £2 billion to create modern hit in the UK. It is a plan which is focused on for everyone by building five new infrastructure for Wales, including an creating jobs by investing in the critical By giving us your support on the 6th May hospitals and providing extra funding M4 Relief Road, upgrades to the A55 Rt Hon Simon Hart MP The pandemic has exposed what 22 infrastructure and public services that to the NHS every year, with 3,000 and A40, and 20,000 green charging we will deliver the change Wales needs to Secretary of State for Wales years of Labour government has done to underpin our economy and society - our more nurses and 1,200 doctors by points recover and build a better Wales. Wales. The slowest growing economy in transport system, schools, hospitals, and 2026 the UK, the worst education results and housing. Making Wales Net Zero by 2050, with NHS waiting lists that doubled - all before Put in law our respect for the Welsh investment in clean energy solutions to reduce carbon emissions, and coronavirus hit. NHS with an NHS Covenant to guarantee increased investment and creating 15,000 new green jobs support for our NHS heroes for the future 2 3 INTRODUCTION The Wales of today is completely different to the Wales of 22 years ago when the Welsh Assembly was formed. The name the National Assembly for vaccine rolls out we’ll rebuild Wales, Our plan for change will ensure first class Whilst Labour and Plaid are obsessed Wales is no-more, renamed the Welsh starting with the economy. Without a schools by ending the underfunding of with the constitution our plan is focused Parliament. The Welsh Government for strong economy we cannot invest in the our young people that has gone on for solely on Wales’ recovery from the the first time in 800 years has powers over public services we all rely on or level-up far too long under successive Labour pandemic. Rather than seeking more how much tax we pay, as well as the ability the whole of Wales. Governments and will see 5,000 more powers, more politicians or raising your to create new taxes. teachers in our classrooms. Our education taxes, we will use the powers Wales Our vision is backed up by our costed plan system can no longer lag behind the rest already has to level-up across the However, some things have not changed. for change, which will deliver economic of the UK, our young people must have the country and deliver improvements for Labour are still in charge, as they have recovery and jobs by ending the dither same opportunities as other parts of the everyone. been for the last 22 years. and delay in Welsh Government which has UK. held us back for so long and cost so many The pandemic has put Wales at a Yet the people of Wales do not feel better jobs and futures. We can rebuild Wales to be a place of crossroads. The choice on 6th May is off or have greater opportunities than they opportunity. We can once again power clear. We can either choose Labour, and did when Labour first took charge of our By creating more jobs we will restore hope, the world, though this time with green more of the same stagnation that we country. The last year alone has laid bare ambition and opportunity to Wales, so renewable energy, and transform the have had for the last 20 years – or we the deep fault lines in our economy, our that everyone can see the next rung up Welsh economy to be the global centre of can choose to vote for change, and the society and our healthcare system that the ladder. If that’s setting up your own the green economy. hope of a more prosperous country with Welsh Labour has allowed to grow deeper business, owning your own home or the better jobs and opportunities for our in that time. new job that helps you provide for you and I believe that we can build a better Wales children. your family, we will support you and help in a strong United Kingdom. Now is the time for change. And this you to achieve it. With new energy and new ideas, we’ll election is an opportunity for the people A strong Wales in a new Global Britain deliver our plan for recovery and change. of Wales to vote for the change they want, Our plan for change will deliver better which takes advantage of the new trade A transport system that’s fit for purpose, creating a more prosperous country with hospitals with greater investment in our deals around the world following Brexit. 65,000 more jobs. Better hospitals with opportunity and hope of a better future. Welsh NHS. With more doctors, nurses, Where, as part of the UK, we can keep our more NHS staff on the front line. First and other health professionals we will streets safe with more police officers and class schools with more teachers. And a Our priority first and foremost is to tackle the waiting time crisis for treatment increased investment, with the Welsh and stronger, more prosperous Wales. defeat Covid-19. We’ll continue the Welsh in Wales, which doubled in the year before the UK Governments actually working and British success story in delivering the pandemic but has exploded during it. together to level-up the whole of Wales Andrew RT Davies the vaccine to everyone, whilst also with new infrastructure to support our Leader of the Welsh Conservatives kickstarting Wales’ recovery. As the economy, our NHS and our public services. in the Senedd 4 5 Finishing the job on Covid-19 Great progress has been made, but the first 100 days of the next Welsh Government will need to be focused on winning the battle against Covid-19, we will: