Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the way in which allocations are determined across the Government begins with a series of bilateral discussions between me and all other Cabinet colleagues where colleagues make proposals to show how the key priorities of the Government can be met and what the financial implications of doing so would be. It's then my job through those discussions to try and make the sum of money we...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for the question. She is, of course, absolutely right that we have a far smaller exposure to PFI schemes in Wales than any other part of the United Kingdom. The average annual cost per head of PFI schemes in Wales is well under £40 per head, and that's around a fifth of the cost per head for the UK as a whole. Where administrations took a different view, there is,...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for the question. Presiding Officer, I understand that you've given your permission for questions 6 and 8 to be grouped together. Amongst the changes brought about in the 2018-19 budget, the additional investment of £30 million for homelessness over two years, including £10 million specifically for youth homelessness in 2019-20, demonstrates the impact of the Act, and...
Mark Drakeford: I certainly share the Member's ambition and have taken advice from the Finance Committee on ways in which we can do more to demonstrate the impact of the Act on our budget making. That is why, in this budget round, in those bilateral discussions that I mentioned a few moments ago to Angela Burns, I ensured that there was a member of staff with responsibility for the Act always in the...
Mark Drakeford: I accept what the Member says—that there is a leadership role for the Welsh Government in showing that the way in which we are deploying the Act can be an example for the ways that others can take those lessons as well. I'm sure the Member will find a bit of time to look at one or two of the well-being assessments that the public service boards have produced and the practical plans that...
Mark Drakeford: Well, that’s perfectly true, what Simon Thomas has just said: I have a list here that I can use to demonstrate the impact the Act has had to date. But on the subject that he has raised, I have met, over the past fortnight, with Lesley Griffiths to begin the process of planning how, over the ensuing year, we will be able to bring the process of creating the budget together with the process...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, a permanent small business rate relief scheme will be implemented from 1 April 2018. Plans for the further development of non-domestic rates include reviewing the appeals system and tackling fraud and avoidance.
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for the question, Llywydd. I was pleased to be able to provide what I know is a small sum of money in the grander scheme of things, £1.3 million, to local authorities to bolster their ability to provide discretionary relief to businesses in their own areas. The way in which I've tried to answer the dilemma that the Member has posed is in making that money available for...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the 2018-19 budget includes an additional £173 million in capital allocated to the economy and transport main expenditure group to support the development of the south Wales metro. This brings the total allocated in this term to £433 million towards the total expected project investment of £734 million.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, the Member is right to say that the sums of money that I have outlined—the £734 million, which is planned investment in the south Wales metro—include £106 million expected through the European regional development fund, and the Welsh Government is working very hard to bring that expenditure within the guarantees provided by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as we leave the...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, we continue to maximise available EU structural funds to support our objectives for growth and jobs across Wales. That includes, of course, the northern Valleys. So far, we have invested over £1.4 billion for that purpose, and that supports a total investment of £2.6 billion.
Mark Drakeford: Well, absolutely, Llywydd. Those promises have to be honoured. It would be a very strange irony indeed if those people who voted to leave the European Union found that Wales does less well out of its membership of the United Kingdom than it did out of its membership of the European Union. That's why the money that has come to Wales from the European Union—money that, you will remember, we...
Mark Drakeford: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm very grateful to the committee for the report and for the opportunity to contribute to this discussion. The Welsh Government acknowledges that we need an assessment of the financial implications and that that should be transparent and accessible so that the Assembly and stakeholders can effectively scrutinise new legislation.
Mark Drakeford: As most Members who've taken part in the debate, Dirprwy Lywydd, have said, this is a relatively technical and specialist area, but genuinely important in making sure that we are able to provide the information that is necessary to allow Members of the National Assembly and those who take an interest in particular pieces of legislation to be able to understand the implications of the...
Mark Drakeford: Yes, of course.
Mark Drakeford: Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm perfectly happy to look at that issue. As I said, the reason we didn't accept the recommendation is we didn't think the RIA was the best place to do that. It's not to say that we wouldn't be willing to look at other ways in which that issue could be pursued. Dirprwy Lywydd, if you'd allow me, I'll just end by just setting out for Members some of the ways in which we plan...
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government’s flood and coastal risk management programmes are actively addressing risk across South Wales West. We are currently investing over £9 million in flood risk management in South Wales West, including ongoing works at Porthcawl town beach and Pontarddulais, which once complete will reduce risk to 550 properties.
Mark Drakeford: Whilst north Wales’s bus network has suffered setbacks in recent years, we have funded specific measures to overcome those, including £300,000 to Wrexham, Denbighshire and Flintshire councils, in addition to our £25 million annual bus services support grant, substantial investment in the TrawsCymru network, and a north Wales bus co-ordinator.
Mark Drakeford: All health boards have arrangements to support breastfeeding mothers and rates are monitored by annual maternity performance boards and the Healthy Child Programme. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services has requested a review of breastfeeding approaches in NHS Wales, and this will report in March 2018.
Mark Drakeford: The theme for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is ‘Come on in—Dewch i mewn’, inviting people to join the movement and learn how fair trade improves people’s lives. We are funding a visit to Wales by an Indian fair-trade farmer who will speak at a number of events around Wales.
