Mark Drakeford: It will be no surprise to Members here that I don’t agree with the Member’s recollection of history, but it isn’t just his understanding of the past that’s at fault here, it’s his understanding of the present as well. His idea that there are no unions involved in private companies in Wales—has he not heard of Ford or Tata or Toyota or many other private sector employers that I...
Mark Drakeford: Can I thank the Member for her utterly effective demolition of the case that some Members have tried to make here this afternoon in relation to ballot thresholds? In a previous life, Llywydd, I would have to sit across the table, as the health Minister, from the Member when she was a full-time trade union official, and a formidable trade union official she was. If I think back on that time, I...
Mark Drakeford: I entirely agree with the last point that the Member made, and it’s an important point to get on the record. I agree with her as well—the fact that there was a vote allowed here on an LCM in the previous Assembly, and the fact that political parties across the Assembly took part in it, suggests that those political parties agreed that there was a competence issue at stake here. Her first...
Mark Drakeford: First of all, to be clear, the workforce partnership council does cover the whole of Wales. It is a Wales-wide body; it has members on it who have a Wales-wide remit. The consultation on agency workers was by no means confined to the workforce partnership council; it was available to any organisation or individual anywhere in Wales, or beyond indeed, to make a contribution to that...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I entirely agree with the point that the Member makes. Of course, facility time pays dividends for employers. It was a point made by the WLGA yesterday in the statement they put out welcoming the Bill. That is because employers recognise the work that trade union representatives up and down our public services do every day. It is a point I made in replying to the Member for Merthyr...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for his contribution. I don’t agree with his final point. I think it is stretching the argument well beyond where the facts would take it in order to suggest that this Bill, which simply disapplies a number of trade union-related matters, somehow opens the door to regional pay in Wales. I simply don’t accept his argument there. I think it’s right that I...
Mark Drakeford: I absolutely agree with Jeremy Miles. What we want to see are trade union members who take an active part in the work of their union and express their daily dedication to the public services that they provide, by making that participation part of that contribution. I agree with the point he made in the beginning as well. The 2016 trade union Act reforms the 1992 Act, which was good enough for...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I think Members across the Chamber have dealt with the threshold issue very successfully, this afternoon. The Member herself would not be here if she subjected herself to the argument that she’s so keen to subject others to. As to her first point about information, I hope I can help her there: I could let her know that 2.2 per cent of private sector workplaces have a full-time...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the Member has very skilfully drawn attention to the wider social partnership agenda that having trade unions able to discharge their responsibilities brings to Wales. We’ve concentrated in this statement on the conduct of direct industrial relations, but social partnership is much more than that. No progressive ground has ever been gained without a struggle, whether that is in...
Mark Drakeford: Formally.
Mark Drakeford: Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Let me begin by just making a number of general points that haven’t been raised in the debate so far. I think it’s important to put on record that revaluation raises no extra money at all; it is not a tax-raising measure. It simply redistributes the burden so that it is more fairly shared between businesses across Wales. And while we recognise that there are...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, of course I understand that when bills change, those people who have to pay more are much more alert to that, and not all those people have the same ability to pay. That’s why, in the next financial year, we will provide over £200 million-worth of financial assistance to businesses in Wales, a greater sum than ever, ever before. It will support more than three quarters of all...
Mark Drakeford: I understand that, and all I can say is that I’ve committed to doing it as fast as we possibly can. Let me just tell you one dilemma, Andrew: if we work on it a bit longer, we may—and it is only may—be able to design the scheme in a way that the relief will go automatically to those who will get it, without requiring them to make an application for it. Now, I think if we could do that;...
Mark Drakeford: Our commitment to children and young people is enshrined in legislation and Brexit does not change this. Listening to and investing in children and young people is intrinsically a good thing to do. It makes sense for the good of society and for the long-term benefit of the economy.
Mark Drakeford: The road safety framework for Wales sets out the actions we and our partners will take to achieve our casualty reduction targets. The framework will be reviewed following the release of the 2016 casualty statistics.
Mark Drakeford: We continue to engage with the UK Government and the other devolved governments to ensure the priorities of Wales are reflected in the negotiations on the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. These priorities were set out clearly in the White Paper, ‘Securing Wales’ Future’, published yesterday.
Mark Drakeford: I understand that the health board discussed the progress of the investigation and the independent governance review during its meeting last week. It is also under special measures, putting in place the steps needed to sustainably improve mental health services across North Wales.
Mark Drakeford: ‘Taking Wales Forward’ sets out our programme of education reforms to improve education in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: We recognise the potential of marine industry and opportunity. Our programme for government commits to supporting more renewable energy projects, including tidal lagoons.
Mark Drakeford: The health board reported against the milestones set under the improvement framework in November, which highlighted good progress. I expect to see continued and sustained delivery of the required improvement outcomes before we consider removing it from special measures.
