, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
Yes. I do thank you, Mabon, for your input, and you captured the essence of what this Bill is about perfectly, and I thank you for articulating it so well. It's not just about the production of sustainable food, it's about creating a sustainable industry…
, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
My position against the Minister's? Oh, yes. Right, okay. Thank you for that, Deputy Llywydd, for reminding—[Interruption.] I think I've captured it in some of what I said before. I believe that this is creating that overarching framework where there is a…
, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
Well, can I thank you, Samuel, and can I also wish you a happy birthday today? There is no conflict to the agriculture Bill here; my Bill creates that overarching framework where the current regulatory policy can hang under. The primary food goals and the…
, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
Thank you, Minister, for your response. I do still respectfully disagree with you; I think there is a need for this, as respondents who have responded from all over the country—from health boards, from councils—say that there is a need for this, because there…
, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
Back in 2010, the Welsh Government's 'Food for Wales' strategy, which I know the Llywydd will know rather well, made welcome progress in establishing a more holistic approach to food policy. But it lacked systems of targets and data collection to measure what…
, Plenary
Statement by Peter Fox: Introduction of a Member Proposed Bill: Food (Wales) Bill
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I first of all remind Members of my declaration of interest as a farmer? It is an absolute pleasure to introduce the Food (Wales) Bill to the Chamber this afternoon—the first Member Bill of the sixth Senedd. Around 13 months ago, I…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
I think—[Inaudible.]—Father Christmas is down the other end of the motorway with £1.2 billion. [Laughter.]
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
If I can just come back on that, it's not that I want to target all authorities, it's just that there are several authorities, now, that will be breaching the £200 million usable reserves—some over £2.25 billion—and it isn't right to hold that and put council…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
I just want to—. It would be remiss of me not to mention—and I'm sure that you've had consideration over the level of reserves that authorities hold. I know how the reserves system works—that the usable reserves carry school balances in them and they carry…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
No, I've finished, I think, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
It's what Scotland's done, isn't it? They've got an extra penny on the pound there.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Whilst I wouldn't—and I certainly wouldn't—advocate putting up tax, and I'm glad you haven't, those are levers you could use, if you were minded to, to raise additional revenue. To be able to raise—. I know it's a point that Plaid Cymru, certainly, are very…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
And I know the health service would quite like to, perhaps, absorb social care. Is that something the Government thinks might be a way to unlock some of the problems?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Just pushing on the same sort of theme but into the social care sector, because we know the whole health system is absolutely linked, the social care element will be funded via the local government settlement. Again, that is, if you like, the plug to unblock…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
That's a very fair point, really, because we're in these couple of bad years at the moment, we know, and of course everybody wants a pay increase, but will people want a pay reduction if inflation drops right down and we revert back to the prior—? That is the…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
I understand that. Thanks for that. If I can just look at public sector pay. It's a straightforward sort of question, really. What assumptions are included in your budget in terms of public sector pay and how will you manage the impact of increased pay awards…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Is there anything in the budget that we could identify above and beyond what you've pledged—the £60 million for transport—that supports behavioural change in organisations and the general public so we that can actually see—? Is there something we can actually…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
It's reassuring to know that we're moving on that. Obviously, there's an opportunity cost to making those decisions, so there will be areas that are deprioritised from capital. To understand who are going to be the losers in capital will be helpful at some…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Thank you. Minister, I want to just touch on carbon net zero and around climate change. I recognise what you announced yesterday: £60 million over two years for transition to low-carbon public transport. Obviously, that's going to require some infrastructure…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
So, that helps our budget next year, so—. Yes.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Apart from the ones that naturally happen.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
What I'm trying to ascertain is that there aren't any sort of hidden tax rises likely to be factored in, somehow, into 2024-25, which is captured in—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
Oh, right, okay. The other point I wanted to ask, just to—. There was one bit—and I mentioned it to you yesterday, actually, Rebecca—just for some further clarity; the OBR forecast that the total tax take from our taxes here will rise from £4 billion to £4.7…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
But you're limited on how much—. If you wanted to borrow capital, that would still be encompassed in that £100 million—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 1
A couple of things. One hundred million borrowing—that's capital, obviously. Yes. That's fine. So, we're just clear on that. You're just saying that local authorities borrow money, but you're limited to £100 million, whereas they can borrow as much as they…
