Labour's Achievements In Government since 1997

ECONOMY
• Longest period of sustained low inflation since the 60s.
• Low mortgage rates.

WORK
• Employment is at its highest level ever.
• New Deal has helped over 1.8 million people into work.
• Introduced the National Minimum Wage and raised it to £5.52.
• More than doubled the number of apprenticeships.
• Cut long-term youth unemployment by 75 per cent.
• All full time workers now have a right to 24 days paid holiday.

EDUCATION
• 1,700 more teachers and 5,700 more classroom assistants than in 1998.
• Record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools.
• Young people achieving some of the best ever results at 14, 16, and 18.
• In the last three years more than £630 million has been invested in 1,400 school building projects across Wales.
• Record number of students at University.
• Free entry to national museums and galleries.

HEALTH
• 8,000 more nurses working for the NHS in Wales.
• 500 more consultants working for the NHS in Wales.
• Investment in new NHS buildings and equipment is being trebled.
• NHS Direct offering free convenient patient advice.
• The majority of patients in Wales are now waiting less than three months for treatment; eight out of ten inpatients and nine out of ten outpatients, wait less than six months.
• Prescription charges have been abolished.
• Free breast cancer screening for all women aged between 50-70.

CRIME
• Over 14,000 more police in England and Wales.
• Introduced Community Support Officers.
• Cut overall crime by 32 per cent.

FAMILIES
• 600,000 children lifted out of relative poverty.
• Child benefit up 26 per cent since 1997.
• Introduced child tax credit giving more money to working parents.
• 2,200 Sure Start Children’s Centres.
• Free nursery places for every three and four-year-olds.
• Free breakfast scheme launched for primary schools
• Dads now get paternity leave of 2 weeks for the first time.
• Over 3 million child trust funds have been started.

PENSIONERS
• A million pensioners lifted out of poverty.
• £200 winter fuel payment to pensioners & up to £300 for over-80s.
• Free TV licences for over-75s.
• Additional investment of £76 million to reduce charges and improve home care services for older and disabled people.
• Free off peak local bus travel for over-60s.
• Free eye test for over 60s.

FAIRNESS
• The Communities First programme has helped regenerate the poorest 30 communities in Wales. Since 2001 more than £125 million has been provided in funding by the Assembly Government.
• Scrapped Section 28 and introduced Civil Partnerships.
• Introduced the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

AND FINALLY…
• Overseas aid budget more than doubled.
• Written off up to 100 per cent of debt owed by poorest countries.
• Labour’s Gift aid was worth £828 million to charities last year.
• Banned fox hunting.
• Banned fur farming and the testing of cosmetics on animals.
• Cleanest rivers, beaches, drinking water and air since before the industrial revolution.
• On course to exceed our Kyoto target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Devolved power to the Scottish Parliament.
• Devolved power to the Welsh Assembly.
• Restored devolved government to Northern Ireland.