, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
I didn't know—. The clock wasn't running in my original contribution.
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
Yes, you've got to give me time.
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
The ALN budget ask was brought to the negotiating table by Labour. I accept and respect that, Lynne. That's what a three-week scrutiny process allows to happen. Between a draft budget and the final vote on the budget, it can be improved. And we have moved and…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
But you are rejecting the deal that would have secured £120 million additional spending on additional learning needs, as you brought to the table. So, I remain, despite that contribution, totally flabbergasted.
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
Diolch, Lywydd. Thank you for the range of views on this supplementary budget from across the political parties, Members, and also for the questions and contributions from committee Chairs and committee members as well. To Reform, thank you for outlining your…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
No, I was looking for it.
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
It's not a surprise to me that a new party to this Senedd, Reform, would question why consequential funding is not merely passed on to the equivalent recipient in Wales, that this Senedd is merely a go-between. It suits their politics to neutralise this…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
As I've said, this is a supplementary budget. It does exactly that: it supplements a budget. This Government has honoured the previous Government's budget to the decimal point in order to provide continuity of delivery for our public sector and other…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
It is supplementary to the budget that was presented and passed by the previous Labour Government. It was the deliberate decision of this Government to honour the spending commitments made by the previous Government, not to make changes to funding decisions…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
The clue's in the name.
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27
Llywydd, I move the motion and open the debate on the Welsh Government's first supplementary budget for 2026-27. This supplementary budget is our first opportunity to propose changes to the full budget this year and to start the important process of ensuring…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
I don't expect significant changes. I suspect this first supplementary budget has been, probably, one of the most scrutinised ever of supplementary budgets. It's understandable that it is in that way, given the fact that it's the supplementary budget of a…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Yes. And the next time I come in front of you, I won't be quite as dismissive of dashboards. I'm not dismissive of dashboards. But it is in the context, as Andrew said, of how we plan the effective allocation of funding to get to better outcomes for people…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
The last two minutes and I get a question about the dashboards [Laughter.] Andrew, how much are you able to share about the dashboards?
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
So, this is a pilot project that has been announced by the Minister and Deputy First Minister, and it is a pilot project. The intention is to pay £10 per week to around 15,000 children in families that claim universal credit. So, at present, the project is in…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Yes, the funding is for any setting, this capital funding, for any setting that is registered with the care inspectorate. So, any setting would need to be registered first of all before they would be eligible to receive any grants that are available. My…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Well, it's important to be clear, first of all, in terms of that £45 million, that—. As I mentioned earlier, £25 million of that is already allocated to meet the previous scheme that was put in place by the previous Government that wasn't adequately funded…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
So, the increase in school meals is free school meals for everybody on universal credit, not just those on universal credit with their household earnings being less than £7,400. So, it's for all on universal credit. This roll-out in this financial year will…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Well, as is usual practice, it's been part of the allocation of funding that's available to Welsh Government to be allocated. So, it's part of what you see in the supplementary budget. It's allocated in some parts. There's an unallocated reserve of £246…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Well, there is a capital allocation for education, which is a 10 per cent uplift in this financial year for educational maintenance and investment. So, there is a capital allocation for education generally in this supplementary budget. The consequential for…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
No, other than to commit to developing that work now with local authorities. That's what I was referring to. We obviously need to do the detailed work with local authorities, and they want to engage with us, obviously, because it's a pressure they feel every…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
I think that the way that this Government now wants to work on additional learning needs is that it works with local government, and is already starting to work with local government on how it plans for the model of ALN provision into the future. As I said…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
Yes, so there would be the—. Obviously, this is now transferred to the health Minister to actually deliver on this. This is a significant allocation by Welsh Government and the Senedd for this piece of work. It is a planned piece of work, which is additional…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
There is a specific plan on how this allocation will be dealt with. That plan is being discussed and, I'm guessing, starting to be rolled out as well at this point. So, there is a plan for this work. I'm not the Minister for health to be able to answer that…
, Finance Committee
First Supplementary Budget 2026-27: Evidence session
No, I don't think it's a straight relationship. I'm hoping that the £100 million will have the reduction in the waiting lists that it's been allocated for. So, that's the direct output that we are looking at. I think that in marrying that challenge with…
