Rebecca Evans: Well, I'm very pleased that the treatment works issues that you described have now been resolved but, of course, the Minister has been here to hear your request for a statement on drinking water resilience more widely.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising those two issues. The issue of the BBC licence fee is very much an emerging issue, and I know that the Deputy Minister is very alive to the discussions and the issues that are coming to the fore there. I know that, in due course, if there is an update to provide you, we'll certainly be keen to do so. The environment Minister heard your request for a statement on opencast...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There are two changes to this week's business. The Minister for Health and Social Services will deliver a statement shortly on the coronavirus, and as a result, the statement on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been postponed. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers...
Rebecca Evans: In the first instance, I would encourage Mohammad Asghar to write to the education Minister with his concerns regarding school admission policies and the associated guidance that goes alongside that, because the question that you asked does have some detail to it and it deserves a detailed response.
Rebecca Evans: I recall, in response to your representations to the Minister on this particular issue, that she was happy to come to the Rhondda to undertake a visit. I know that she's already been to Rhondda Cynon Taf more widely on two occasions, and Members right across the Government have been visiting and speaking to people who are quite understandably completely distressed by the flooding. I've spoken...
Rebecca Evans: David Rowlands raises a number of questions in relation to curriculum reform. I know that the Minister for Education does provide updates in various ways to colleagues in terms of curriculum reform, which I think it's fair to recognise is a long-term piece of work, and it's certainly a complex piece of work. David Rowlands had some specific concerns regarding recruitment and STEM subjects...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that lovely picture of the things that happen within his community to celebrate the local heritage and, of course, the beautiful natural environment in the area that he represents. He also talked about the importance of local heritage in terms of our tourism offer, in terms of boosting our local economies, and also the social potential that it brings in terms of...
Rebecca Evans: I'm pleased to open this debate on the Welsh rates of income tax. Welsh rates of income tax were introduced in April last year and applied to income tax payers resident in Wales. The Welsh rates for next year were announced in the draft budget. In keeping with previous commitments, there will be no changes to Welsh income tax levels in 2020-21. This will mean that Welsh taxpayers will...
Rebecca Evans: The irony, of course, of Mark Reckless's protestations about not standing on a manifesto for something is not lost on me. But I think will respond to those points that are directly related to the regulations that are set out in front of Members today. I agree, actually, with Nick Ramsay, who suggested that this is actually a very short motion for something that is incredibly important. It's...
Rebecca Evans: I'm sure that, in future, there'll be a great deal of debate regarding Welsh rates of income tax, because of course whilst it was a pledge not to raise income tax during the course of this Assembly, it'll certainly be a matter of particular interest, I think, as we go to the electorate for the next Assembly elections, in terms of determining what our respective parties' offer might be to the...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. I'm pleased to open the debate on the final budget for 2020-21 this afternoon. Since we debated the draft budget in the Chamber a month ago, we've carefully considered the recommendations of the Finance Committee's report and those of the other Senedd committees. In line with the commitment we made following last year's scrutiny, I am pleased that we were able to respond to all of...
Rebecca Evans: We expect the that costs associated with the remediation in the longer term to be significant. Depending on the scale, it is unlikely that we can reasonably absorb the cost of the works required within existing budgets, especially given the £100 million general capital reduction we have just seen. That is why I've written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, seeking additional financial...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome the opportunity to have this debate this afternoon, and I do thank Members for their contributions. As I outlined in my opening statement, this is a budget that has taken place amidst uncertainty and evolving circumstances and, of course, we expect those to continue beyond the Chancellor's UK budget on 11 March. It's only right that I put on record my thanks to our...
Rebecca Evans: That's certainly something I'd be happy to take up with my business manager colleagues in the various parties for potential discussion within the Business Committee. But I think the point that Llyr raised in his remarks about the importance of having early discussion is important, which is why I was so pleased to see and respond positively to that recommendation by the Finance Committee...
Rebecca Evans: This budget provides a final opportunity to amend plans for the current financial year, allowing the revision of the previously approved financing and expenditure plans, reprioritisations within portfolios, budget transfers between portfolios, and allocations from reserves. It aligns resources with the Government's priorities. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 continues to...
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful for the contributions from the two members of the Finance Committee and, again, I'm grateful for the work of the Finance Committee and I look forward to responding in some detail to those recommendations and accepting them. One of the recommendations was about making detail available as soon as possible following the March UK budget in terms of any impacts on the Welsh...
Rebecca Evans: Before I respond to Mohammad Asghar, I probably should set out that there are several changes to this week's business. This week's oral questions—
Rebecca Evans: That's all right. This week's oral questions to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition in respect of his law officer responsibilities will take place tomorrow. The Minister for Health and Social Services will make a statement shortly on coronavirus, COVID-19 update. As a result, the statement on International Women's Day will issue as a written statement. Finally, as a...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Leanne Wood for raising those specific issues of casework that she's received from people affected directly by the flooding, and then that overarching concern about blocked culverts. I will ask Welsh Government officials to speak to Rhondda Cynon Taf council on those issues that you've raised, because, in the first instance, they are matters for the council, but it'd be very...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Jayne Bryant for raising her constituent's particular concerns regarding the case of planning permission that you've described, and the issues particularly affecting new build. The Minister with responsibility for planning was here to hear those concerns, and it would be helpful if you could write to the Minister with some further details on the specific case to which you refer...
