Minister pledges to hit 20,000 affordable homes target

Welsh government pledged to build 20,000 affordable homes by the end of its Senedd term in 2026

Wales' minister for delivery has pledged to do whatever is necessary to help the Welsh government meet its commitments but has admitted it has a "very short time" left before the next Senedd election in 2026.

Julie James also said its manifesto commitment to build 20,000 affordable homes by then had been hanging on "by the skin of their teeth" but believes it could still be done in time.

Former minister Lee Waters, who was behind Wales' 20mph speed limit restrictions, has been drafted in to help ministers hit the housing target.

James told BBC Politics Wales her new role as minister for delivery - created this summer by First Minister Eluned Morgan - was to make sure things run smoothly.

"I will do what is necessary," she said. "We have probably got 14, 15 effective months."

She said once the next Senedd election date is confirmed "it becomes very difficult to get things through that are not completely consensual through the government business".

On the top priority of dealing with NHS waiting times, she said she was helping Health Secretary Jeremy Miles bring people together to spread best practice across Wales.

When pressed on whether extra capacity would be freed up in England to bring down waits in Wales as a result of a mutual agreements between the Welsh and English NHS, she said any detail would have to be discussed with Miles.

"I am not there to substitute the cabinet secretaries, you need to speak them about the detail of their portfolios. I am there to assist," she said.

'Deep dive'

On meeting the affordable housing target, which the public spending watchdog has cast doubt on without significant extra funding, James said: "We were hanging on to that by the skin of our teeth as a result of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis but we can still do it. "

She said the role of Lee Waters was to assist the cabinet secretary by carrying out a "very rapid deep dive" of each planning application as they come forward.

Andrew RT Davies, the Conservative leader in the Senedd, said: "The truth is out from the Labour minister for delivery that this deal will offer no respite for the thousands of people waiting here in Wales.

"The first minister and the secretary of state should apologise, swallow their pride and do what is best for the patients in Wales and get a mutual aid agreement that will use spare capacity in other parts of the UK which their original announcement clearly believes exists."