, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Right, great. I'll go back to script. In June, the Minister for Social Justice announced the supersponsor route would be paused. Recently, it's been reported that welcome centres are set to close. Can you detail what specific activity the funding in this…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
I'm trying to move on.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Sorry, I digressed a bit there, Chair. I'm conscious of the time.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
So, that would be allocated on a formula basis, though, wouldn't it?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
One of my anxieties was—. Well, to come back a step, through COVID, it was great how there was no formula-based allocation—their costs were met to meet this massive pressure we all had. In the same way, I wondered if that had been considered to meet the costs…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Absolutely, and I join with you in congratulating local authorities on what they've done. But have you heard through your conversations with local authorities that there may be some authorities that have struggled to provide the level of engagement or…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
A lot of what you're going to be doing, or you're currently doing, is done in partnership with local authorities, and the expectation is on them. Are they being funded in total from Welsh Government, or is there an expectation for local government to…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Well, that takes me on to the second part of that question. I'm just wondering what scope the Welsh Government have to continue affording more support without a draw-down or expectation of moneys from UK Government. Is there money left in that reserve Sharon…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Thank you. I just wanted to explore a little further allocations in response to the war in Ukraine. I'll start by—. We know the supplementary budget allocated £92 million toward those various sets of support; £74 million of that was provided via the UK…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
And I'm sure you'd welcome the opportunity to have similar borrowing powers to those that local authorities have, because I can't quite get my head around the fact that a devolved Government can't borrow in the same way I used to be able to borrow as a local…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
I absolutely agree; it's just silly. But I think what's also silly is that you can have a lump in there but you can only draw down your £125 million or £150 million, or whatever it is. That just seems ridiculous—I just can't work it out. So, I think that…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
And then how do you—? If you make that commitment and then, suddenly, there's a pay deal set for 5 April or 10 April, how do you then pull the money out again to do that? Do you just draw it back out as a reserve, or—? How do you meet that commitment? If…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
And how do you—? Sorry.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
Okay. I think I've got that.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
I'm just trying to get my head around that; I think I've got it. So, there is a way that you can carry whatever money you've put aside for pay, which might not be committed in this financial year—. You have a way of holding that over. Because I was conscious…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2022-23
I think the lesson learnt is that we don't want to ever send any money back and there should be enough forward planning to make sure that all that money is utilised in the best way. If we can exceed the level of help we were planning to give, then value for…
, Plenary
The Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Regulations 2023
Thank you, Minister. We all know that SMEs are the beating heart of our Welsh economy. They provide vital employment and contribute to a sense of community and belonging. And while I'm pleased that that the multiplier has not risen, we cannot support the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I thank the Member for South Wales East for raising this, and I share his concerns and the industry's concerns, and I refer Members to my register of interests as a farmer. Poultry producers in Wales have been facing the twin pressures that you recognise of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Thank you, Minister. Minister, I know you will recognise the important role that shared services between local authorities play in affording valuable services to many thousands of children, enhancing their learning experiences. The amounts of support are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
5. How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to support and fund the continuation of shared services? OQ59139
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Well, thank you, again, Minister. I take it from that that you don't regret the investment over the 10 years, albeit that it's a huge amount of money, and I know that many Members in here would have liked to have seen that money spent in many other areas…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Thank you, Minister—thank you for that clarity. I think it's really important that the Senedd understands the detail. I know that it'll be in the supplementary budget and we look forward to discussing that earlier. There are always opportunity costs when…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, I'm sure all in this Chamber are relieved that negotiations with our teachers and our NHS unions over revised pay offers are looking promising and have averted further strikes by teachers and any NHS staff for the time being. Let's…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
The Chancellor's and the Prime Minister's focus on stability, which I'm sure will continue in the spring budget, lays the ground for the UK to focus on growth. With the latest predictions that the UK economy is expected to recover sooner than thought, there…
