Andrew RT Davies: —but we have passed comment at the lack of support that you have put on the table for businesses the length and breadth of Wales. Why haven't you put support for start-up grants to make sure that businesses can recapitalise themselves? We know that you've got £140 million still unallocated from the £200 million that you identified during the election campaign. Is it not a fair reflection...
Andrew RT Davies: I appreciate the First Minister wants to use diversionary tactics time and time again, but it is a fact that the comments I put to you were comments from business owners themselves feeling punched in the stomach or stabbed in the back by the Government of the day, which is your Government, First Minister. It is a fact that you have that money unallocated in the budget, and businesses need...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, the last 14, 15 months have been traumatic for many people in all parts of Wales. One of the things that Governments in other parts of the United Kingdom are undertaking at the moment is commissioning public inquiries, so that we can understand what decisions were taken, and what decisions were good and what decisions were bad, and how we need to...
Andrew RT Davies: I think that's regrettable, First Minister, because, as very often you've said—and rightly said—the decisions made in Wales affect people in Wales and you've called for more powers in various areas to obviously strengthen the hand of the Government here in Wales on many matters. Regrettably, we know 7,860 people have died here in Wales because of the pandemic. Many people, obviously, are...
Andrew RT Davies: As I said in my response to your first question, I do regret the fact that there will not be—in your view, anyway—an independent public inquiry specifically here in Wales, commissioned by yourself as First Minister. Some people might say that that's running away from scrutiny and accountability for the decisions that you were taking as a Government, because that's what's required here is...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, you've previously said that your Government will not raise Welsh rates of income tax until at least the economic impact of coronavirus has passed, but you've also said that you will not rule out a rise in taxes before the end of the Senedd term. Will you be raising income tax at some point during this Senedd term?
Andrew RT Davies: I think it's a perfectly reasonable question, seeing as your programme for government does touch on income tax rates and whether the Government will use them or not. Also, what's talked about are particular levies or surcharges for social care or, indeed, education, which was highlighted on the weekend by an academic here in Cardiff. You have to pay for services someway, either through...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, First Minister, you will not indicate your use of income tax powers. You have indicated more clearly in your second answer the use of a social care levy, surcharge—call it what you will—and ruled out an education levy surcharge, which I’m grateful for you doing that. But one thing your programme for government does talk about is a tourism tax and actually consulting on the...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, First Minister, for your statement this afternoon and the document that was released this morning that we've had a chance now to read—all 17 pages of the programme for government that is available for Members and the public. Obviously, the public did vote for the Labour Party to be the Government here on 6 May, I accept that, and the questions—[Interruption.] I recognise that;...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, yesterday I visited Tŷ Hafan in the Vale of Glamorgan—a wonderful facility that provides so much care and compassion for children with life-limiting conditions and their families as well. Tŷ Gobaith, obviously, does the same in north Wales. Do you recognise, as it's national Children's Hospice Week, the difference between a children's hospice...
Andrew RT Davies: Do you recognise, First Minister, that regrettably in Wales that formula only delivers 5 per cent of funding to children's hospices, whereas in England it's 21 per cent of funding and in Scotland it's 50 per cent of funding? Now, I'm not for a moment saying that the Welsh Government should step in and jump straight to 50 per cent, but do you believe that there's a journey required to level up...
Andrew RT Davies: Regrettably, I didn't hear a commitment to have a review of that funding formula, although I do accept that it's a complex area and I do accept the point that you make, First Minister, about the fierceness with which the sector protects its charitable status, and rightly so because of the money it raises. But if I could raise a separate matter with you and that's around the football that's...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, thank you for your statement this afternoon. I'd just like to raise a point with you about the flow of information and the way you bring that information to Parliament. Today, this statement was a last-minute statement added to the agenda. I didn't hear anything different in that statement to what I heard at your press briefing yesterday and, indeed, the First Minister's press...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, animal welfare is a priority for all Members and many people in society. Roaming livestock is an issue, as also are people who are roaming the countryside and the dangers that that poses, both to livestock and that the livestock poses to people, and we've seen some tragic accidents in recent years. Are you aware of schemes that have been undertaken in the south-west of England that...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, two weeks ago in response to my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders, you said: 'the reason why low area statuses have moved up is because of the importation of TB by farmers buying infected cattle and bringing them into the area.' That caused a huge amount of distress and hurt in the agricultural industry. Do you accept that's a misleading statement,...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, the distress of that statement is that you identified farmers as being part of the problem. You know and I know that the regulations that are in place from the Welsh Government require that all cattle, prior to movement, have to undergo a TB test, and that test is valid for 60 days. So, the farmers themselves are doing all they can, along with the Welsh Government, in...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, I regret the fact that you are unable to put an apology on the record, First Minister, but I'm grateful for your more detailed explanation around the sentiments of your comments some two weeks ago. If I could address, in my third question to you, the change of policy within 72 hours around the Llandeilo bypass, which I appreciate was a policy agreed with Plaid Cymru in a budget deal...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. First Minister, thank you for your statement this afternoon. I do find it slightly ironic that, when I woke up this morning and looked at the headlines on WalesOnline and the BBC website, the Welsh Government were accusing the UK Government of aggressively ignoring the Welsh Parliament, when today I look at the order paper and there's no education...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Leader of the house, nearly a quarter of people who contracted COVID-19 during the last 12, 15 months contracted that COVID virus in a hospital setting. Twenty-one per cent also contracted COVID in a care home. We were told time and time again hospital settings were safe places. What's gone wrong?
Andrew RT Davies: I was very careful in my language to say that, actually, the virus was contracted in a hospital setting. I do take the point that there is cross-over in hospitals, but we were told time and time again that measures were being taken. In fact, I was told by the health Minister that I was being alarmist when I said it was out of control in some hospitals. In some health boards, one in three...
