Nick Ramsay: Yes, you’re totally right on that; the way that the larch was marketed was a big problem. It should have been marked in smaller, manageable lumps of larch that could have been more easily absorbed by the market. So, there were serious failings in that regard.
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Can I thank all the Members and the Cabinet Secretary for contributing to today’s important debate? As I said at the start of this afternoon’s debate, the Public Accounts Committee has a crucial role in ensuring the efficient expenditure of public money in Wales, so it was very important that the committee had an opportunity to bring this issue to the Assembly, and I’ve...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, can I concur with Jayne Bryant’s comments, and also welcome the opening of the new hospice at Malpas? As chief executive, Emma Saysell, has said, this is a landmark development and will hopefully plug previously identified gaps in provision over the last few years, and I’m sure it will go from strength to strength. You’ll know, First Minister, I frequently raise the...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, as you’ve just said, angling is worth around—you took the words out of my mouth—£100 million per year to the Welsh economy. As Adam Price, the Member for Carmarthenshire has said, it’s a very important segment of all parts of Wales, particularly the rural economy. I appreciate that you’re limited in what you can say at the moment, but would you agree that the...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, I’m pleased that Jayne Bryant has raised this very important issue. I’ve had the privilege over a number of years as an Assembly Member to visit Women’s Aid groups across Wales and, obviously, in my own constituency, in Abergavenny, where I also visited a safe house, and I realise the important work they do, not just for the victims, but for the families, for children...
Nick Ramsay: I’ve got to say, Eluned Morgan, I listen closely to your arguments, and you have very many sensible things to say, but that wasn’t one of them. I’m a bit concerned about your argument that just because people aren’t aware of community health councils, they shouldn’t exist. If you use—
Nick Ramsay: Well, you said something that could be confused as saying that.
Nick Ramsay: No, not yet. I’m not.
Nick Ramsay: You actually said that you hadn’t heard of community health councils and that was an argument for them not to be there. Well, on those grounds, I think many of my constituents have never heard of the Welsh Assembly, but I don’t use that as an argument to abolish myself—well, not yet, anyway, but I suppose there’s still time. Look, no-one—well, very few people at any rate are saying...
Nick Ramsay: I’ve been inspired by Huw Irranca-Davies’s request for something to be done about late trains to ask you, leader of the house, if we could have an update from the Cabinet Secretary on where we are with the awarding of the new Wales and borders franchise, currently of course with Arriva. I think it would be really helpful if we specifically had some information on where we are with the...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, this year’s Welsh Government budget represents a milestone in this the twentieth year of devolution. It’s the first budget that will cover a period that will include tax devolution, of land transaction tax and land disposals tax in the first instance, kicking off from April next year. I know that you’ve been heavily involved with...
Nick Ramsay: I think the Cabinet Secretary knows where I’m coming from on this, because I’ve checked the Welsh Government website page, which you may or may not be aware of, in regard to LTT, which says that the rates and bands will be announced, or were due to be announced, by the end of this month, by October 2017. So, there is not much time left for that announcement. If the information isn’t...
Nick Ramsay: As you know, Cabinet Secretary, some of us on the Finance Committee, and indeed other Members of the Chamber in general, did feel that there was a very strong argument at the time for having the tax rates and bands on the face of the Bill, but your commitment at Stage 2 to publish the rates well in advance of April went a long way to allaying these concerns—a commitment that you repeated on...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for giving way, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll probably recall that yesterday, in the business statement, I raised the issue of the rolling stock. I know it’s secondary to the core of this report, but would you agree with me that it’s important, at the earliest opportunity, for the Welsh Government to engage with the franchise, with the new franchise holder, to make sure that that...
Nick Ramsay: What’s that supposed to mean? [Laughter.] Thank you for that warm introduction. [Laughter.] I’ve had worse. [Laughter.] Could I first of all just start by thanking everyone who contributed to today’s debate this afternoon? I’ve got to say, I did particularly enjoy the response of the First Minister, a response mainly directed at Janet Finch-Saunders—well, for the first five minutes...
Nick Ramsay: Have I got time to give way briefly to Mike Hedges?
Nick Ramsay: I seem to remember a lot of time being spent by certain members of the last Labour UK Government on a tidal barrage, and certainly there were people talking about tidal lagoons back at that time. But, nonetheless, we are where we are; we have to move forward. Our debate today is simply noting that the Welsh Government’s national strategy, ‘Prosperity for All’, is with us. I notice that...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, thank you for your statement on the draft budget and for the meeting you had with me earlier today. Can I also welcome the new way of doing the budget, with the changes that have been made to the format of this statement today and paving the way for tax devolution next year? This has been a key call from the Finance Committee, and from the Chair of the Finance Committee,...
Nick Ramsay: Yes, I give way.
Nick Ramsay: It’s always nice to hear the—[Interruption.] I’m not sure—[Interruption.] I’m not sure—[Interruption.] I’m not sure whether that’s a Plaid comment—
