Mark Drakeford: I thank Russell George for the question. This section 137 power allows a community or town council to incur a limited amount of expenditure for purposes for which it has no other specific power or duty, and which will bring direct benefit to their area or any part of it.
Mark Drakeford: I’m grateful to Russell George for drawing this to my attention and providing copies of the correspondence from Llanfair Caereinion and Powys County Council, which illustrates the point that he is making. My officials have already provided advice to other town and community councils in Powys, and in general, our advice is that the financial restriction set out in section 137(4) continues to...
Mark Drakeford: Mike Hedges is absolutely right and he reminds us that, in the draft Bill on local government that the previous Minister brought forward, there was exactly that proposal: to provide a general power of competence to principle authorities and, indeed, a power of competence to town and community councils that were able to reach a certain threshold of competence in their own affairs. While...
Mark Drakeford: As set out in the draft budget published last month, the budget allocation for the education main expenditure group next year is £1.99 billion.
Mark Drakeford: I thank John Griffiths for that. He makes a point that others have made this afternoon: that investment in human capital is one of the most powerful ways in which we can continue to sustain our economy and our economic prosperity into the future. Figures published last week by the Treasury showed that expenditure on education in Wales continues to be 4 per cent higher than in England. The...
Mark Drakeford: Those discussions do take place and they have focused on the results of the first round of procurement fitness checks, which my colleague Jane Hutt sponsored in the last Assembly. The results are available to assist those local authorities who may need support with specific aspects of their procurement practice.
Mark Drakeford: It’s an interesting question that the Member raises and, actually, car leasing turns out to be a more complex subject than I first realised when I was originally briefed some time ago by the National Procurement Service on this topic. There is a Wales-wide National Procurement Service framework for car hire that all local authorities participate in, but that’s only for cars that are being...
Mark Drakeford: The apprenticeship levy is a UK Government employment tax that directly conflicts with areas of devolved competence. It does not provide significant new money for Wales. Any positive consequentials as a result of it are largely offset by negative consequentials and the additional costs to public sector providers.
Mark Drakeford: Let me provide the figures for Members to see. It takes me back to almost the very first question I was asked by Andrew R.T. Davies when I said that the small print in all of this is important. So, in the spending review settlement, the Treasury announced that there was to be £114 million added to the Welsh block grant as a result of the apprenticeship levy. Had you read further down the...
Mark Drakeford: Since 2007, Dirprwy Lywydd, EU projects in north Wales have helped 9,300 people into work, created 2,340 apprenticeships and 7,660 jobs.
Mark Drakeford: I’m grateful to the Member for the opportunity to restate the Welsh Government’s position, which is, for as long as we remain in membership of the European Union, we will try and draw down the maximum possible investment for the benefit of communities across Wales. By the end of this month, as a result of accelerating the programme in the conditions we now face, we will have agreements in...
Mark Drakeford: Formally.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Wel, agorodd Russell George y ddadl, ac ategaf yr hyn a oedd ganddo i’w ddweud wrth bwysleisio cyfraniad pwysig y diwydiant manwerthu i economi Cymru, drwy gyflogaeth uniongyrchol yn y diwydiant a thrwy gysylltiadau’r gadwyn gyflenwi. Gwnaeth Jeremy Miles gyfres o bwyntiau pwysig ynglŷn â sut y gellir cefnogi economïau lleol a chanol...
Mark Drakeford: No, Chair, I’ll address that point now. I would have come to it later, but I’ll do it now, by all means. I was simply referring to one of the recommendations in the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee’s report about the current system. Am I interested in exploring an alternative system, a reformed system, for non-domestic rates? I am. I’ve set work in hand. Does that have to...
Mark Drakeford: Formally, Chair.
Mark Drakeford: Diolch yn fawr, Gadeirydd. The note that I’d written for myself as a guide to responding to this debate said that I was looking forward to a debate on a serious topic on which there was much that we can agree on. I really do regret the fact that we have failed to have that sort of serious debate this afternoon.
Mark Drakeford: Yes, I will.
Mark Drakeford: Can I thank Darren Millar for that? I hope my contribution will follow on from the tone that he has just established, because this is a serious matter and it deserved a serious debate. Unfortunately, it got off to a divisive and destructive start from which it’s been very difficult to recover. Can I say as well, Chair, that I absolutely deprecate it—and I put it on the record here—I...
Mark Drakeford: There is a final part of the motion, Ddirprwy Lywydd, 3(b) on returning officers’ fees, and I’m very happy that we’re able to accept that, because that is already Government policy, and I aim to use a forthcoming local government Bill, if we are able to have one, to take further the points made in that part of the motion. Finally, as far as 3(a) is concerned, I understand the thinking...
Mark Drakeford: In 2015-16, authorities collected 97.2 per cent of council tax billed—the highest level since the tax was introduced. Nevertheless, circumstances remain challenging for households and I encourage authorities to continue to deal sensitively with those experiencing hardship. The Welsh Government has commissioned research into approaches that help prevent debt escalating.
