Mark Reckless: Rather than simply focusing on evasion and avoidance, isn't the issue one of 'What's a second home?' versus 'What is a genuine commercial lettings business?' If we don't want to tax that on the same basis, why allow that to be one if people are only letting it for 10 weeks a year? Why do you think that's sufficient, or at least why did the Order think it sufficient in 2016?
Mark Reckless: First Minister, your future generations commissioner, Sophie Howe, has announced that GCSEs are not fit for purpose and should be scrapped. She claims this is necessary as the new curriculum replaces what she characterised as the 'silos' of traditional subjects with six areas of learning and experience. The co-author of her White Paper, Professor Calvin Jones, says they struggle with the idea...
Mark Reckless: But do our schools teach pupils very well to pass exams—or at least sufficiently—on the current results? One change we are having, which I should welcome, which the education Secretary put out this morning, is we are seeing a 2.75 per cent increase in teachers' pay and 5 per cent for the newly qualified, and, I think, £12.8 million in the current year to support that. However, would the...
Mark Reckless: May I congratulate Siân Gwenllian on getting this debate and leading it in the way she has, and on her work in her constituency? I was particularly interested in the story around the youth club there, GISDA. She did say at one point in her speech that prejudice was the root of the increase. We heard from Leanne Wood that, I think quite rightly, social attitudes have progressed a lot in...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, 10 Welsh Labour MPs refused to support having an election. One of your AMs in my region has said it is a mistake of historic proportions. Another has said that it's unsafe to have any election until the electoral system is reformed and abuse of politicians is dealt with. Since that Labour AM, notwithstanding our own policies, told a female member of my group to 'eff off' just...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, you are in charge of discipline within your group, and I note you look to wash your hands of such matters. Over the coming weeks, First Minister, you, your AMs and your MPs are going to find out exactly how voters feel about the way that you have treated them. You told them that you backed the referendum. You told them that you would respect the result. Yet, since, you've...
Mark Reckless: Can I thank the First Minister for bringing this statement today, and still more if I may thank Lord Thomas and all his fellow commissioners for bringing forth this very impressive report? I'd also like to congratulate the previous First Minister for what is a very impressive report that he set up for us. I would like to actually follow what the First Minister said that this report deserves...
Mark Reckless: One of those additional suggestions was having a new council tax band for properties worth more than £10 million. Could I suggest, before bringing that in, we check to see whether there are any such properties in Wales? I share the Minister's discomfort about imprisoning people for not paying their council tax. She said we shouldn't imprison people for getting into debt, with which, I think,...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, is it acceptable for a Welsh Minister to lie if their objective is to smear the Brexit Party? Further, did Rebecca Evans notify you or the Counsel General, under paragraph 7.16 of the ministerial code, before making a standards complaint judged to be wholly without merit and in respect of which the outgoing standards commissioner said her actions were, and I quote, disgraceful?
Mark Reckless: First Minister, Rebecca Evans sits on the Business Committee as a Government Minister. [Interruption.] I raised with you last week—
Mark Reckless: I raised with you last week one of your Members telling one of my Members to 'eff-off'. You told me that I should refer it to the standards commissioner to be properly raised and investigated. Now, the remark he makes about 'disgraceful', about your finance Minister, is about her politicisation of the Business Committee minutes, on which she serves as a Government Minister. He also said he...
Mark Reckless: Of course, the line of questions of your role are out of order, are they not? I of course accept your judgment in that matter, Llywydd. Last week, First Minister, we spoke about the justice commission, and you said the justice commission report showed the way forward for the devolution of justice in Wales. Lord Thomas said that a team of just 10 civil servants could be relied upon to support...
Mark Reckless: What, Llywydd, does that show about the judiciary in this country, and about law schools, when he concludes: 'You fancy doing law, she's a Plaid Cymru supporter—'?
Mark Reckless: Notwithstanding the truth or otherwise of the allegation, I withdraw it.
Mark Reckless: I thank the Government for bringing this motion and for the various amendments that have been made to it. It's the intention of my group to support both the motion and all the amendments to it. However, coming to this as a non-specialist in the area, I do find it a little difficult to engage with the debate and make any assessment of the relative merits of the motion versus the amendments...
Mark Reckless: 8. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact that holiday home ownership is having on housing provision in Wales? OAQ54672
Mark Reckless: Thank you. I'm going to use the phrase 'holiday home ownership', which I think covers a range from two categories: the 'second home' the Minister referred to, perhaps only used for a few weeks—or perhaps, at most, months—a year, compared to a property that is let out to a wide range of holidaymakers, more as a commercial proposition. I just wonder, as housing Minister, do you consider...
Mark Reckless: May I ask the Member whether the committee has discussed or approved Douglas Bain as a candidate before she put forward the motion today? Can I also ask a little more about the scope of the work? She mentioned 'temporary', but I'm unclear whether she's referring to perhaps a few weeks, or is this something that could extend through to the end of the Assembly? Also, in terms of his skills and...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, you didn't answer the question as to what increase in NHS workforce or, indeed, increase in spending you would need if this policy of a 32-hour average working week were to be applied to the NHS. Can you not tell us what is that average contracted full-time equivalent rate currently, and what would that change be if it was shifted to 32 hours, if indeed this policy...
Mark Reckless: I'm grateful to the Minister for his confirmation that this 32-hour week is merely an aspiration for 10 years' time. I think that will be quite reassuring to many of the health boards who are under enormous pressure already, with waiting lists having increased by 16,000 for hospitals just in the latest year. One area of policy from your party at a UK level, which again I understand will apply...
