Mark Reckless: If the Government’s mind is still open on this matter, will the First Minister note that university participation at this income level is already high? Mark Drakeford will be setting out later the financial pressures the Welsh Government faces and, just in response to my party colleagues earlier, you said that you weren’t able even to estimate a start date for construction on the metro,...
Mark Reckless: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement and advance notice thereof, although I think I must have missed his phone call. [Laughter.] I have, though, got the copy of the budget during the First Minister's statement—[Interruption.] Oh well, never mind, never mind. I've been doing my best to at least scan-read the budget since my question at First Minister's questions, while, of course,...
Mark Reckless: We're looking forward to the extra money from Brussels, which will stand the Welsh Government and the UK Government in good stead in due course, once we leave. The Plaid statement earlier we had from Adam Price—I think he said just now that ‘we will deliver together’, and I think he was quoted in the media earlier as saying that waiting times in the NHS will be reduced on account of...
Mark Reckless: I’m grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for the statement and the substance in it. You’ve already heard, I think, from three members of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, and I think Members have determined we would like to do at least a short inquiry on this—likely to be on the full day, Thursday 10 November—and I would like to ask if you’d be available to...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, you told the Finance Committee this morning that there was £10 million in the budget for the coming year for pilot schemes for the Government’s childcare plans. The overall budget, I think you said, when it’s fully operational, will be £84 million. Can we therefore assume that around one in eight areas will benefit from a pilot, and when will we be...
Mark Reckless: To speak more about the financing, as a father of a two-year-old and a four-year-old I’ve experienced both the Welsh and the English systems for childcare. It’s clear that the provision in Wales, largely, in schools is good in quality, but the inflexibility of five 2.5-hour sessions means that it’s very difficult for many working parents to take advantage of it, and the rate at which...
Mark Reckless: I commend the Cabinet Secretary and the Government, on the whole, on the system that is proposed. It doubtless will provide much more flexibility and support for working parents, but I disagree with his assertion that that flexibility and support for working parents has previously been part of the Welsh system. Five 2.5-hour sessions without flexibility makes it far harder for two parents to...
Mark Reckless: I’m grateful to the commission—in particular the Welsh commissioner, June Milligan, having taken over from Ann Beynon, who I’d like to thank for her work in that role—for this report, ‘Towards a Fairer Wales’. I think it’s important to understand that this report is from the Wales committee that is chaired by the Welsh commissioner as the lead officer of the EHRC, who supports...
Mark Reckless: I apologise, I haven’t read all the Counsel General’s speeches, but I am delighted to ask him a question. He anticipates this upsurge in litigation to the Supreme Court with disagreement and uncertainty on the basis of the Wales Bill, at least in its current form. I wonder what consideration he’d given to the resource implications for his office of such an upsurge in litigation.
Mark Reckless: The Member says that we should know how much the Government is spending. He will recall, as do I, that before the election great play was made by the Labour Government of the £70-odd million they’d be spending every year on climate change projects. Indeed, the previous Cabinet Secretary criticised quite strongly those who thought this money might, in any sense, be better spent elsewhere,...
Mark Reckless: What assessment has the First Minister made of whether the Wales Bill respects the 2011 referendum decision?
Mark Reckless: The outgoing President suggested that the UK mind find ourselves at the back of the queue if we voted for Brexit. Given what has happened with the referendum result, the election of a new President today, but also the stalling of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership negotiations and the formidable challenges they face, is it actually possible that Wales within the United Kingdom...
Mark Reckless: I’m grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for his statement, and I’ve got four questions. Firstly, I recognise that, when he says that 30 hours of provision a week, 48 hours a year will be the most generous offer available in the UK, he is right. The delivery is still to come, but I would credit both him and his party, and the Welsh Government, with the ambition and what they’re trying to...
Mark Reckless: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on the likely improvement in journey times between Newport and other destinations between south Wales and London following electrification? OAQ(5)0061(EI)
Mark Reckless: Does he agree with me that, even with delays and now the postponement of the Filton Bank work into Bristol, electrification offers huge opportunities for Newport as a business hub, and does he also recognise that, combined with both the western rail link and expansion at Heathrow, we will be ideally placed to benefit as we jump to the front of the queue for a trade deal with the United States?
Mark Reckless: Some people were clearly disappointed by the scope of services available, and particularly the nature of the emergency service, compared to their prior expectations. I just wonder if there are any lessons to be learned by the Welsh Government or the health board as plans are made and communicated for the future of the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport and Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, in...
Mark Reckless: Diolch. If we are to secure the best possible deal for our rural communities, agriculture and environment following our exit from the European Union, then we must be bold and clear in what we expect from the UK Government. We, the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, have reached an early consensus based on expert advice and the views of our stakeholders. The committee and...
Mark Reckless: I’m grateful to the Member for his contribution and for his work for his party and others in these areas. As he says, agriculture is the backbone of our rural economy, but we’re conscious not to define agriculture too narrowly. Both the scope and type of agriculture has changed and continues to change, but also the scope in different areas of Wales to diversify from traditional...
Mark Reckless: I thank the Member for his contribution, both just now and also in committee. Certainly, I’ve found his contributions very valuable, including in developing my own knowledge of the sector. I also appreciate his generally upbeat approach and focus on the opportunities that may come out of Brexit, and I think that those different positions—I’m impressed by the degree of focus on how do we...
Mark Reckless: I’m very grateful to Huw Irranca-Davies for that contribution. You mentioned at the beginning funding being promised, and I mentioned that some ‘leave’ campaigners did give assurances—and I mentioned two of those who are now in very senior and relevant levels in the UK Government. I recognised, during the campaign, that it was a campaign and that I wasn’t speaking for any Government...
