Plaid Cymru secures major victory in Assembly agreement

Party of Wales has shown how an effective opposition can deliver

Plaid Cymru has secured fairer access to innovative treatment and a commission to get the economy moving in all parts of Wales in a deal with the Labour party. Party leader Leanne Wood said that Plaid Cymru had managed secure an agreement that will benefit people in all parts of Wales.

The agreement includes:

· The establishment of a New Treatment Fund, including a commitment to end the postcode lottery for new drugs and treatments and an independent review of the exceptionality test for patients.
· The establishment of a new National Infrastructure Commission, and a new Welsh development bank.
· A commitment to make delivering 30 hours of free childcare available for working parents.
· A commitment to create at least 100,000 new all-age apprentices in this term.
· The recruitment and training of additional GPs and other primary healthcare professionals.
The two parties have also committed to working positively together in the next six weeks to secure a “Remain” vote in the European referendum.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said:

“In our one-vote deal, Plaid Cymru has managed to secure five out of our nine key manifesto commitments. We will help patients access innovative drugs and treatments and ensure more GPs and health professionals are trained and recruited. We will set the foundation for economy-boosting projects across every part of Wales and ensure the creation of 100,000 apprenticeships. And we will help parents access free childcare.

“From the outset Plaid Cymru has shown how an effective opposition can deliver tangible benefits for people. Our agreement will deliver for the whole of Wales, and we will scrutinise the government closely to ensure that our agreement is delivered in full.

“Plaid Cymru will continue to hold Labour’s feet to the fire during this next Assembly term and in our role as official opposition we will continue to work effectively to improve the lives of the people across the country.”