Andrew RT Davies: I'm grateful for the answer you gave yesterday, First Minister, which did acknowledge that allegations had been made and had been dealt with, as you indicated in First Minister's questions. I would seek greater clarity on that acknowledgement by this question today, and I would be interested to know when the allegations were first brought to your attention that the former Minister Leighton...
Andrew RT Davies: Can I raise a point of order?
Andrew RT Davies: I'd be grateful if the Llywydd could give some direction as to exactly the point of asking questions when you do not elicit an answer from the Cabinet Secretary on specific matters that are of great public interest and a matter of public interest in that they've been on the record for some time and they relate to specific instances that are in the direct control of the First Minister. I would...
Andrew RT Davies: We've had the political rant from the Cabinet Secretary, but let's get back to reality—[Interruption.] Let's get back to reality. And I do congratulate him on his appointment to the Cabinet. It was only some two months ago that Aston Martin announced a £500 million deal on a trade mission to Japan. That will add a significant boost to the footprint of the factory in the Vale of Glamorgan,...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, I'm grateful for the way that you've engaged with the questions so far this afternoon—a stark contrast to the way you engaged last Wednesday with the question that I put to you in the topical questions. But there is this issue where there are two narratives running here. There is the narrative that you acknowledge—and, again, I was...
Andrew RT Davies: I'm still lacking an understanding of how difficult it is to answer this question. I've put it quite reasonably to you: were allegations of bullying put to you? Because that seems to be the assertion that has been put by two senior figures from your Government at the time—and others, I might add. It is not unreasonable for us to ask the questions of you as First Minister, because the...
Andrew RT Davies: Okay. There's going to be a motion tomorrow—next week, sorry—put before the Assembly to have an investigation into this. People will have listened to the answers you have given. I think the two opportunities I gave you were pretty straightforward—'Yes' or 'No' answers, as such. You chose not to give the 'Yes' or 'No' answer. Is it the case that you will be supporting the motion that...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, one of the key things that the rural economy needs is, obviously, people to get their produce to market and sell that produce at the best price possible. Many constituents of mine, in the northern part of the region, access Raglan livestock market, along the Heads of the Valleys road. You've already answered part of the question when Mohammad Asghar, the Member for South Wales East,...
Andrew RT Davies: As Nick Ramsay alluded to, there are considerable cost overruns projected on the eastern side of the Heads of the Valleys dualling, and we've seen figures that obviously have indicated substantial cost associated with the final section on the western side. I think everyone supports these improvements, because, overall, they will drive economic activity along the Heads of the Valleys, but...
Andrew RT Davies: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate this afternoon, and I welcome the Minister to his role. I think this is the first debate that he will have contributed in since taking that role. But it'd also be opportune to pay tribute to the former Minister, Carl Sargeant, who, I think, on two occasions in Government, held this particular portfolio responsibility. It was a responsibility...
Andrew RT Davies: I do think it's important to reflect on the work of the cross-party group. The cross-party group, under the very able chairmanship of Darren Millar, has succeeded in raising the profile of the armed services here in the Assembly, and also the Assembly within the armed forces community, because I think that’s really important. It was only some 12 months ago that several Members from this...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, tomorrow, there'll be a motion before the Assembly to ask the Assembly's permission to set up an inquiry by the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister to scrutinise the allegations that have been made about the time in office of Leighton Andrews, and your special adviser, Steve Jones. I understand the leader of the house will respond to...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, surely, the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister is an independent process. People sit on that committee and look objectively at the evidence that's given to the committee, and ultimately determine and provide a report based on that evidence. It was slightly alarming, from the Counsel General's interview on the Politics Show, that he questioned the ability of the Chair—as...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, it is really regrettable to see that you are not prepared to have confidence in the committees of this Assembly to actually do the work that they are charged with doing and actually listen to the evidence that is given. But, tomorrow, there is a motion and there is an amendment. So, whichever one carries, there will be an inquiry. Can you confirm that Government Ministers or Government...
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, could I seek two statements from you, please? One is a statement from the Minister for economy and transport in relation to the potential overspend that was identified in his written statement yesterday of in excess of £50 million for the Heads of the Valleys road, on the stage that they're doing at the moment on the eastern edge, and the implications that that overspend...
Andrew RT Davies: Cabinet Secretary, in your original speech on your taskforce activities, you identified the natural environment in the Valleys, and in particular the Rhondda valleys, as a good example of that, where large areas of common land exist at the very top of the Valleys, a hugely under-utilised asset that exists across south Wales. I'd be grateful to understand exactly, now some time has lapsed...
Andrew RT Davies: It does seem as if interest in this particular scheme is coming from these benches, given that it's the biggest capital spend that the department has at the moment, and that the cost overrun running into excess somewhere north of £50 million is something that has to be managed. I do welcome the Minister's engagement today, and it is sad that the didn't give an oral statement when this first...
Andrew RT Davies: [Inaudible.]
Andrew RT Davies: I acknowledge the actions that the First Minister has taken. As I understand, it was in response to a letter that I sent to him on 10 November asking him to undertake that investigation and set it up. But I would make the point that the terms of reference, as I understand, are specific to 2014 and the comments and remarks that have been made in the media for the two weeks that we've been in...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. If I may, before I start my contribution, I do want to take issue with the contribution of the Member for Llanelli, accusing me of making an allegation from a sedentary position about Lynne Neagle, the Member for Torfaen. I did not make that. I hold the Member in the highest regard possible, and I do want the record to show that because I know full well that you...
