Plaid Cymru pledges 'living wage'

Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones emphasised seven key policies

Plaid Cymru has announced plans for a "national living wage" if it wins power in the Welsh assembly election in May.

Launching Plaid's manifesto, leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said it would be made a condition of the assembly government's contract with other public bodies.

It would be higher than the UK minimum wage, and set by an independent commission, but Mr Jones said he had no particular figure in mind.

He also announced a new pledge to hold some cabinet meetings in public.

He said a Plaid assembly government would be "the most open and transparent administration in Europe".

On the living wage policy, he said: "We believe that some of the poorest people in Wales work in the public sector and we want them to have a decent income."

PLAID'S 7 PRIORITIES Energy saving plan Nearly double childcare funding Computer laptops for 11-year-olds Help ex-students pay their student loans Grants for first buyers Tax cuts for business New "community health service" Source: Plaid Cymru manifesto

Plaid is the main opposition party to the Labour minority government in the assembly, with 12 out of the 60 seats.

It has confirmed that it would enter coalition talks with all other parties if nobody wins an outright majority in the election on 3 May.

The manifesto, "Make a difference" gives more details on what Plaid calls its "seven for '07" priority policies already announced.

It would cut energy use by 10% and CO2 emissions by 3% a year.

The party promised to nearly double childcare spending within four years to £100m a year "as a first step towards ensuring universal childcare for all children post-maternity leave".

The manifesto also confirmed that a Plaid administration would give all 11-year-olds a computer laptop for learning.

Students from Welsh universities and colleges who work in Wales for five years would have their student loans paid for the period by the assembly government, and top-up fees at Welsh universities are ruled out.

First-time buyers would be offered grants of up £5,000 to help them onto the housing ladder. They would need to match the grant pound for pound and to save for three years in an assembly government-supported scheme to qualify.

If they vote for us in greater numbers then obviously more of these policies will be implemented Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones

Plaid promised to "slash the business and tax burden on small and medium businesses".

The manifesto said the party would reduce business rates "by up to a half" to help companies invest and to "seek to offer a corporation tax rebate of up to a third for west Wales and the valleys".

The party would need to persuade the UK Treasury to agree to the corporation tax cut to help this poorer region of Wales.

'Biggest investment'

Pledge number seven would provide "a new community health service," including more nurses in schools, check-ups at work and what Plaid calls "centres of wellbeing".

The document promised to "stop the hospital closure programme in its tracks", a "patients' rights contract" and a "national children's health service".

The manifesto said the creation of a network of primary care and walk-in treatment centres would be "the single biggest investment in the history of the Welsh NHS."

Plaid estimated its programme would cost £245m in its second year, £419m in year three and £673m in the fourth and final year of the next assembly term.

Mr Jones said a Plaid administration would consult employers and unions on its wage plans.

'Substantially more'

Asked which of the policies were non-negotiable if the party was in coalition, he said such discussions, if needed, were a matter for after the May 3 election.

"These are the policies we want the people of Wales to vote for and if they vote for us in greater numbers then obviously more of these policies will be implemented" he said.

He emphasised the seven key policies highlighted in the manifesto "would be the basic minimum" but said the party would want to include "substantially more" in any programme.

On the party's "long-term goal" of independence for Wales, he suggested a referendum could be held on moving to a Scottish-style parliament "probably towards the end" of the next assembly's term.

He said it could be "possibly even on the day" of the 2011 assembly election.