Kirsty Williams: “Lib Dems deliver as £1.1 million Welsh workers benefit from Budget”

Responding to the UK budget, Kirsty Williams, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "The tax cuts for Welsh workers announced today, taken directly from the Liberal Democrat’s election manifesto will reduce income tax by £326 for over 1.1 million Welsh workers, taking 51, 000 of the poorest workers out of income tax altogether.

“Fuel duty is now a real issue for so many families, particularly in rural Wales. Labour’s proposals to increase fuel duty have rightly been scrapped and I am pleased at the further cuts announced.

“It is clear that the UK government today has set out a clear plan for restoring growth in the economy. Many of the measures to boost growth and create jobs, such as the Enterprise Zones, investment in English Universities technical colleges, the holiday on business rates and the support first time buyers, will apply in England and will now need to be considered by the Welsh Government.

“Wales will receive extra money as a result of these announcements and it is essential that the Welsh Government puts in place similar measures to that Wales does not get further behind.

“We need a government in Wales that will focus on tackling the skills gap and making sure that Wales is a good place to do business. That is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats have already announced proposals to create jobs and improve our economy by offering companies £2000 for staff training if they provide jobs to unemployed young people and set up an Innovation Programme to invest in the infrastructure a Welsh economy needs.”