In December 2023 the Welsh Government published its draft 2024–25 budget. The 2023–24 one was termed “A budget in hard times”. This new draft budget is subtitled “A budget to protect the services which matter most to you”. As expected, the overall budget is seriously inadequate, thanks to the Westminster government’s economic incompetence, and determination to impose continuing austerity on public services in advance of pre-election tax cuts.

Within its budget the Welsh Government, again as expected, intends to increase funding for the NHS and for local government at the expense of other heads of expenditure. Few people in Wales would want to argue against these priorities. But beyond that, among the sums allocated to non-health areas, lurk some odd choices. One of the strangest is the decision to decimate spending on the arts, culture, and heritage.