Local MS, Laura Anne Jones, criticised economy minister, Vaughan Gething for cutting Apprenticeships funding in Wales despite announcing an additional £5m.

Ms Jones said that this is still significantly lower than the £17.5m funds that were previously cut from the Welsh budget.

Ms Jones said: "However the Minister tries to dress it up, this Government has broken their manifesto commitment, and the apprenticeship funding cut is still happening."

She emphasised the negative impact it would have on the future prospects for Welsh individuals.

Earlier in the Senedd, Vaughan Gething said: "We're investing £143 million of the Welsh Government's budget directly in the apprenticeships programme." Explaining how it would see an increase of up to 113,000 in starts in apprenticeships programmes, he added: "That's a 13 per cent increase on the last Senedd term. That hardly speaks to a Government that is not investing in the future of apprenticeships. Exactly the opposite."

He insisted that the government was committed to increasing investments in the apprenticeships programme.