A WELSH Government reshuffle has seen Vale AM Jane Hutt takes on responsibility for government business to add to her finance portfolio.

First Minister Carwyn Jones made the cabinet changes last week.

Welsh Government minister for finance and government business, Jane Hutt, said she was delighted to have been re-appointed as finance minister with the additional responsibility of overseeing government business.

She said: “Over the summer I have had the opportunity to explain to those who deliver and use our public services what our spending priorities are and hear what services they want to see delivered to meet their needs in the most challenging of times for our public finances with the Welsh budget lower by 10 per cent in real terms than it was four years ago. With the forthcoming budget, the next few months will be an important step in addressing these challenges and realising our ambitions for a fairer, healthier and more prosperous Wales.”

But commenting on the changes Vale-based AM and Welsh Tory leader, Andrew RT Davies said the reshuffle resolved around Carwyn Jones’ knee-jerk reaction to the pre-summer sacking of Alun Davies for breaching the ministerial code and attempting to smear opposition AMs.

Mr Davies said: Welsh Labour may have shuffled some deckchairs, but this makes no difference to the damaging policies pursued, cutting the NHS budget, dumbing down the Welsh education system and neglecting private enterprise.

“Some of the same tired faces who’ve been sat around the cabinet table since 1999 remain in post and continue to give post-war Eastern European communist politicians a run for their money.”