Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way, Dai. I agree with much of what you've just said. Do you agree with me that, during the course of the inquiry, it was ironic that Professor Holtham pointed out that when he looked at public opinion in Wales, it seemed to be that there was a lack of understanding, to a great degree, about the scale of the problem that we're facing? That shows how we really need to address...
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to contribute to today's debate and to support this motion—a motion that was moved very eloquently, as usual, by David Melding at the start of this debate, and he made some very important points. I think we all know that we've got a problem when it comes to housing in Wales. Let's face it, as Leanne Wood just said, we've had that problem for a considerable length of time, so...
Nick Ramsay: I last spoke with Steffan on his last visit to the Assembly before Christmas, when I remember speaking to him outside the Chamber here in a break in debate. It was clear at that point how ill he was. I told him that we were—all of us, every one of us in the Chamber—rooting for him. He thanked me for that and he said it was the work as an Assembly Member that was keeping him going, that...
Nick Ramsay: This is a historic day for Wales with, for the first time ever, before us, this motion to set income tax rates. If I can ask two quick questions of the Minister—I was about to call you Cabinet Secretary for a moment. First of all, you said in your opening comments that you don't believe that there should be any changes to income tax rates relative to England—I think you said up until...
Nick Ramsay: Can I thank the Minister for her contribution to today's debate—and, indeed, the briefing that you provided me with earlier in the footsteps of your predecessor? I appreciate you've come in almost towards the end of this budget-setting process, so I don't expect you to be an expert on everything. It was good to see, however, that the blame game with the UK Government continues apace as it...
Nick Ramsay: I appreciate you might be factually correct when you just said that none of the committee recommendations were that the Bill should proceed, but the Chair of the Finance Committee has eloquently said in his contribution earlier that we as a committee were unable to decide one way or the other. So, we didn't reject the Bill either; we simply said we didn't have enough costings provided to us,...
Nick Ramsay: 6. How is the Welsh Government working with the UK Government and others in progressing plans for a Chepstow bypass? OAQ53239
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. I've asked this question a number of times to your predecessor and, indeed, to the Minister for Economy and Transport. The abolition of the Severn tolls was a very welcome decision in south-east Wales and, indeed, the wider south Wales M4 corridor, improving connectivity with the south-west of England, but there's already evidence that it's impacting...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Trefnydd, I'm sure you'll agree with me that Mike Hedges always has interesting things to say. I listened closely to your question to the First Minister in questions earlier, Mike, where you suggested that congestion on the M4 could be relieved by utilising the A465 and the A40, the Heads of the Valleys link, for traffic entering Wales and heading to south-west Wales from...
Nick Ramsay: 5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Finance about the sustainability of the local government funding formula? OAQ53240
Nick Ramsay: What guarantees can the Welsh Government give to the agricultural industry about farming subsidies after 29 March 2019?
Nick Ramsay: I think there must be an echo in this Chamber—I know that you discussed this fully with my colleague Mark Isherwood earlier. This was a question that I and my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders regularly posed to your predecessor, Alun Davies, when he was in the local government role, and I'm pleased that we've set the ball rolling again today on this important issue. Now, I understand that...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to move this motion today, brought forward by the Welsh Conservatives. To quote Senator Bobby Kennedy in 1966: 'Like it or not we live in interesting times.' Well, like it or not, we again today live in interesting times, and devolved taxation, whether you like that or not, is with us. As we know, from April 2019, this institution will have the power to...
Nick Ramsay: Yes.
Nick Ramsay: I quite agree with both the points you made there, Mike. Firstly, on Steffan Lewis, he was an invaluable member of the Finance Committee since 2016 when he joined it. I know we all feel not just the sadness of his loss in this Chamber but also the sadness of the loss of that spirit he brought to the committee. He always had a different viewpoint, and in issues like the devolution of...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, I'm more than happy to support Mike Hedges in his call for that review of spending on PFI projects within Wales. We do know that some of the early PFIs particularly were very costly, and you've quoted the £100 million a year—£105 million a year—cost figure that the Wales Governance Centre have also provided. Whilst I appreciate that your Government is certainly sceptical...
Nick Ramsay: 2. Will the Minister provide an update on the devolution of income tax? OAQ53308
Nick Ramsay: Can I thank the Minister for that answer? Your probably think it's groundhog day and that we did have quite a discussion about this last week. We've been talking about the devolution of income tax now for some considerable length of time, and the reality will soon be with us. As well as the mechanical act of raising taxes, that also requires an accurate forecasting ability, and we know that...
Nick Ramsay: It is groundhog day again, Minister, because I'm going to ask you about income tax again as it is such an important and pressing issue. Last week, we brought the debate to the Chamber on that pressing devolution of income tax, and you were asked by a number of Members on this side what your intentions were in terms of those rates and your commitment to keeping the rates of tax as they are,...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. I fully appreciate that you have in the past said, and your predecessor has said, that the intention is not to increase income tax, but it does seem that the ground has moved slightly on this. Certainly, the vocabulary has changed. The First Minister, shortly after he came into post, recently said that it is not the intention to do so. You have again said today that it is...
