During First Minister’s Questions, the Welsh Conservatives have challenged the First Minister over a £72 million shortfall in funding from the UK Labour Government.

The Treasury announced additional funding for public sector workers to cover the costs of employer national insurance contributions.

The Welsh Conservatives criticised the First Minister for not pushing to reverse the Jobs Tax, causing Welsh taxpayers to foot the bill for the shortfall.

Commenting, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar MS said:

“It’s abundantly clear that Labour has no idea and no plan on how to mitigate the devastating effects of the Jobs Tax here in Wales. They said that there would be ‘full funding’, but there is a significant shortfall and not just this year, but every year going forward too.

“Labour’s Jobs Tax doesn’t just hit businesses and the taxpayer via public sector costs, these National Insurance changes also hit public sector contractors, like bin collections, social care, and end of life care through hospices.

“The First Minister should apologise to the people of Wales for backing the jobs tax, and for the hefty bill that Welsh taxpayers will now have to foot as a result of her failure to deliver the funding that Wales needs."