Rebecca Evans: The resource for core public health promotion sits with local health boards. Local authorities have responsibility for other areas of public health, such as health protection and environmental public health. Local authorities work closely with partners, including local health boards, on some areas of health promotion, such as the national exercise referral scheme.
Rebecca Evans: Well, first of all, I would just reassure you that we are acutely aware of and equally concerned about the pressures that the current energy crisis and the cost-of-living crisis are having on the sport and leisure sector. Of course, the provisional local government settlement means that some local authorities have now reversed their plans to close some of their facilities, which I think is...
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful for that question and I've also had a really good meeting with the older people's commissioner, who talked very passionately about the potential for age-friendly communities. I can confirm that, for 2023-24, the Welsh Government via the social care reform fund will provide a grant of £50,000 to each local authority, so that they are able to appoint a lead officer to support...
Rebecca Evans: Climate change is a cross-government priority and I work closely with the Minister for Climate Change and with my other Cabinet colleagues to support delivery of Net Zero Wales, and to support local authorities in delivering their commitments.
Rebecca Evans: I'm very grateful for that question this afternoon, and I'm really pleased with the work that the decarbonisation panel for Wales is undertaking in terms of ensuring that all local authorities have plans in place in order to help move them towards that goal of net zero in the public sector by 2030. I think one of the areas where we need to put a great deal of focus, of course, is on...
Rebecca Evans: I agree that local authorities have an important role and an important potential in that particular space, which is why I know that the Minister for Climate Change is engaging with them in respect of the development of the Unnos work, and I hope that she'll be making more information available to colleagues on the development of that work before too long. So, perhaps that would be an...
Rebecca Evans: I meet regularly with all local authority leaders to discuss key issues that affect us all, including the current financial challenges. It's the responsibility of each local authority to determine how they deliver their non-statutory services, based on local priorities.
Rebecca Evans: I'll make the point again that the Welsh Government has provided the absolute best possible settlement to local government, and I know that was recognised by local government leaders and members of local government across Wales. As I've mentioned, we're providing revenue funding of over £5.1 billion and over £1 billion of specific grants to local authorities next year, and that's a rise of...
Rebecca Evans: Building on our previous budget, the 2023-24 draft budget continues to focus on preventing harm to the most disadvantaged. Alongside the £165 million to protect our NHS, actions include protecting the £90 million funding for free school meals, investing a further £10 million in homelessness prevention and providing £2.2 million for our basic income pilot.
Rebecca Evans: I will commit to reflecting the concerns that you raised this afternoon to the Minister for Health and Social Services. Obviously, this is a matter for her to decide within the confines of the MEG that she has, but I will be more than happy to make her aware of the contribution this afternoon.
Rebecca Evans: Two hundred and sixty million pounds has been committed to implement the universal free school meal provision programme over the next three years. I anticipate that this funding will be sufficient for the majority of local authorities, but have committed that any additional requirements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for that question. I can say that Welsh Treasury officials are part of the working group that has been established to take forward the review of the unit rate. Obviously, it's not straightforward, and they will be looking at the impacts of those different models in terms of agreeing the rate. At the moment, the current free school meal unit rate across local authorities is...
Rebecca Evans: I meet regularly with all local authorities to discuss key issues that affect us all, including the current financial challenges. It is the responsibility of each local authority to determine how they deliver their non-statutory services based on local priorities.
Rebecca Evans: The Welsh Government's culture division does support the delivery of local cultural services, including museums, which are non-statutory services, as you say. Funding is available to enable museums to meet and maintain the museum accreditation, including providing access to the annual capital transformation grant scheme. The culture division also provides a programme of training and workforce...
Rebecca Evans: The Government is providing unhypothecated revenue funding of over £5.5 billion and £180m capital funding in the 2023-24 local government settlement in support of Local Authority services, including highways maintenance.
Rebecca Evans: My priorities are set out in our Programme for Government and 2023-24 Draft Budget, which I published on 13 December 2022; a Budget made in hard times, but one that maintains our commitment to prioritise public services and the most vulnerable, whilst continuing to create a stronger, fairer and greener Wales.
Rebecca Evans: Welsh local authorities have had discretionary powers to apply council tax premiums to long-term empty dwellings and second homes since 2016. From 1 April 2023, the maximum level of premium will increase to 300%. It is for individual authorities to decide whether to apply a premium and at what level.
Rebecca Evans: The Landfill Disposals Tax (Tax Rates) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 relate to setting the 2023-24 tax rates for landfill disposals tax. They were made using the made affirmative procedure. These regulations set the standard, lower and unauthorised disposal rates for landfill disposals tax, which, subject to the outcome of today's debate, will apply to taxable disposals made on or...
Rebecca Evans: I'll just take the opportunity to thank both committees for their work. I think the important points that both Chairs have made this afternoon go certainly well beyond the scope of the narrow regulations that we are discussing this afternoon, but I think the points that were made were really important, and I'm glad that we've been able to come to a good conclusion with the work in terms of...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch. I'm pleased to open this afternoon's debate on the Welsh Government's draft budget for 2023-24. Since we first had the opportunity to debate the draft budget in the Senedd on 13 December, Senedd committees have been busy scrutinising our spending plans. I welcome the very constructive sessions that I have had with the Finance Committee and that my ministerial colleagues have had with...
