WAG Too Slow on Skills Delivery - Williams

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Apr 2008

The Assembly Government's One Wales Delivery Plan 2007-2011 has today failed to progress urgently needed action to up-skill the Welsh workforce and positively tackle high levels of economic inactivity across the nation.

Activity levels in the last year fell by 1.4% in Wales, compared to an increase in England of 0.2%, in Scotland of 0.6% and in the UK as a whole of 0.1%.

Kirsty Williams AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education commented:

"Wales' economy is already struggling under the complacency of the Plaid-Labour Government and is undoubtedly about to hit rough times not only here but across the world.

"It is severely disappointing to see that the delivery plan does not provide for the necessary action in the crucial area of skills and the Webb Review until at least 2009, despite its publication last year.

"The Government desperately needs to inject a sense of urgency into addressing levels of economic inactivity and into up-skilling our workforce, which is not demonstrated by the piece of paper they have put out today.

"In reality we will be two years into this Labour-Plaid administration before action is taken, meanwhile we fall further and further behind in our levels of economic activity."