Mark Drakeford: I thank Joyce Watson for that. As set out in the 2017-18 budget, approved yesterday, the budget allocation for the environment and rural affairs portfolio next year is nearly £384 million.
Mark Drakeford: I thank Joyce Watson for that. When we published the draft budget back in October we had some difficult decisions to make on capital investment in order to live within the means that we had available to us. I said to the Finance Committee in my first scrutiny session with them that, if any additional capital were to become available in the autumn statement, my first priority would be to...
Mark Drakeford: Can I thank the Member for that? I read very carefully what a range of scrutiny committees had to say on the budget. It was a theme in a number of committees—looking for greater evidence of impact that budget decisions were being shaped through the lens of the Act. I was very willing to accept, in front of the Finance Committee, that there is more to do and, as we shape next year’s...
Mark Drakeford: The additional funding involves more than just homes. There is work to be done in the area of housing and to assist those people who live in poverty. But, on Monday, the Cabinet Secretary made a statement referring to more than just work with regard to housing. She outlined the things that she wants to do with regard to green growth in Wales, and I’m sure that when there are questions here...
Mark Drakeford: A range of mechanisms, Llywydd, exist to promote best practice in local government. An enhanced level of systematic and mandatory regional working will provide new opportunities for local government to share and implement best practice in future.
Mark Drakeford: I thank Jenny Rathbone for drawing the attention of the Assembly to Flintshire’s Food for Life scheme. It is, I think, a really good example of a scheme that does practical work on the ground in a way that brings together a whole number of agendas, both environmental agendas but also agendas in relation to public health, and good practice in terms of food preparation, but also it involves...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I definitely do agree that the proceedings of local authorities ought to be as accessible as possible to local electors within their areas. I think there are some very good examples under the control of all political parties in this Chamber who have control of councils, and we do need to do more to accelerate the spread of that practice. I intend to use the opportunity of a...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for that question. Good public services play a vitally important role in the lives of all citizens in Wales. The Welsh Government continues to protect funding for all local authorities, so that vital services such as social care can go on being provided.
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for drawing that to my attention. It’s not a matter that I’d heard of previously, and I’m very happy to make inquiries of the local authority about it. On the more general point, I of course agree with him: this Government makes a very significant investment through our invest-to-save scheme in assisting local authorities to upgrade lighting in that way, which not...
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is already committed to contributing £503 million to the £1.2 billion Cardiff capital city deal. I hope that we will rapidly reach the point where a heads of terms agreement can be signed to secure the Swansea city deal and the funding that would support it.
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I don’t believe that that is a risk. Discussions on contributions to the city deal happen outside of the fiscal framework and in addition to it. In the Cardiff capital city deal the Welsh Government is contributing £503 million and the UK Government is contributing £500 million. In the discussions that we have over the Swansea city deal, we expect to secure the same tripartite...
Mark Drakeford: Budget discussions were held with a range of stakeholders and Cabinet colleagues on financial issues, including priorities within the education main expenditure group, which informed the spending plans approved yesterday.
Mark Drakeford: As tax devolution develops, the Welsh Government will create a system based on greater fairness and simplicity, as well as stability and certainty. These principles will support jobs and growth, as well as the public services on which all businesses rely.
Mark Drakeford: Collaboration is an essential part of the landscape of public services in Wales, both now and in the future. I am pleased that partners from both the public and private sector continue to work together to support the Swansea bay city region.
Mark Drakeford: I welcome the approach, already adopted by an increasing number of local authorities, of abolishing child burial fees altogether. I intend to discuss this matter with the WLGA at an early meeting this year.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government expects local authorities to conduct their business in an open and transparent manner. This includes public access to the majority of local authority meetings, except those where confidential or exempt matters are being discussed.
Mark Drakeford: The invest-to-save fund is an integral part of the Welsh Government’s strategy to ensure continuous improvement in public services in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: Extensive engagement to test the options for reform and to refine the proposals set out in my statement on 4 October has taken place over the autumn. I am considering the results of these discussions and will set out a way forward at the end of January.
Mark Drakeford: The additional £0.5 million investment will help provide quality meals and services during the school summer holidays, supporting those in some of Wales’s most deprived communities.
Mark Drakeford: Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Before this Assembly debates the legislative consent motion the Wales Bill later this afternoon, I’d like to make a statement about the fiscal framework agreed between the Welsh Government and the UK Government last month. As the Wales Bill has progressed through the UK Parliament, the First Minister has been clear that it would be a significant barrier to the Welsh...
