Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, the approach we have taken in the White Paper is to be clear on the objectives that we seek, and the objectives are ones that I share with what the Member said in introducing her question—that local politicians should be answerable and in a continuous relationship with their local populations. The draft Bill published in the last Assembly proposed a particular set of ways in...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I do think the Member is very one-sided and selective in her view of education consortia, because there are very many successful things to their credit that they are able to demonstrate right across Wales. The regional way of working is one that is firmly endorsed in our White Paper. What we are able to do is meet the governance criticism that the Member has raised, because we say in...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I entirely agree with the point that the Member is making, in that we have a shared ambition to make sure that the proposals in the White Paper are drawn to the attention of as many people as possible across Wales and that we make particular efforts to reach those people who otherwise may not find these matters drawn to their attention. I definitely expect local authorities to play...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I’m not familiar with the scheme, although I’m sure that my colleague Carl Sargeant, who has responsibility for housing, was aware of it. We have a very ambitious target for affordable housing here in Wales. We’re looking at all sorts of ways in which we are able to accelerate the achievement of that target. The actions that are taken to sustain our wildlife and to...
Mark Drakeford: Well, in general, Llywydd, I agree with the point that, with the UK leaving the European Union, all public authorities who will find themselves in a different position post Brexit need to begin to think about choices that they may have in that context. By and large, regulations are there to serve important political and public purposes. Where, however, there will be different opportunities in...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, what I recall saying to the Member when he last raised this is that, as well as writing to him with some details, I would add this item to the agenda of matters that I discuss with local authorities when I’m in contact with them. I’ve been able to make a start on doing that. I do plan to use the next few months, while the White Paper is out for consultation, to use the...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I reject almost everything that the Member just said, Llywydd. There’s no contradiction between what the two sources that she quoted have said to you. There will be 40 people working in the Welsh Revenue Authority. A number of those will be recruited from Wales. A number of them will undoubtedly be recruited from beyond Wales. We are establishing a tax profession for Wales for the...
Mark Drakeford: Can I say to the Member, of course, that I do acknowledge the fact that complexity is something that we need to consider when we plan for the future of local authorities? If ideas come forward when people are considering the White Paper about what we can do to simplify things and to make the system more accountable to local people in future, then I am open to hearing what people say. In...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, voting systems are matters that have a variety of views within political parties, as well as between political parties. The proposal in the White Paper is to allow local authorities to make the decision that is right for them in their own context. I’m sure there will be a lively debate here in the Assembly about different views that individuals and parties will have about the best...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for the question. The Welsh Government remains committed to supporting businesses in Wales, through our small business rates relief scheme, transitional relief and targeted high-street relief, to help them invest in and deliver long-term economic growth in Wales, while maintaining a sustainable funding stream for vital local services.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I am doing my very best to make sure that there will be such a statement before we go into recess, and I am happy to confirm what the First Minister said yesterday. We are in the very final stages of putting all those proposals together. We are still waiting for some very last data from the valuation authority to allow us to do that. Of course, I understand that there will be...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I thank David Rees for that. It’s a rare question, Llywydd, that points to a sector where rateable values have significantly reduced as a result of the Valuation Office Agency’s recent revaluation. Here in Wales, the fall in the bills that will be paid by the steel industry will have a material impact on that industry. Unlike in England, we will allow the industry to have the full...
Mark Drakeford: I am not aware of the issue, but I am very happy to agree to write to the council to discover more of the actions that they have taken.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you for the question. The Welsh Government holds, or has access to, a wide range of data covering a variety of geographical footprints across Wales. Allocations to local authorities, local health bodies and police authorities represent nearly three quarters of all the Welsh Government’s revenue expenditure.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, there are a number of ways in which data are already available at that very local level. The Welsh infrastructure investment plan, for example, records expenditure at postcode level, the Welsh index of multiple deprivation has long operated at lower super-output area level, and analysis of the 2015-16 procurement expenditure in Wales, which is just drawing to a close, will also...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I recognise and acknowledge the point that the Member makes. Of course, a lot of the things that we do in Wales on the border are dependent on what happens across the border as well, and the decisions that we make in Wales will have an impact on England and the things that they do in England, and the decisions that they make, can have an effect on us, and with regard to capital, that is...
Mark Drakeford: Well, the Member makes the point, more eloquently than I did, that I was trying to make earlier, that we have to be interested in return on investment, not simply investment. Historically, I think you’d have to say that public authorities have been very good at collecting data and have put much less effort into the analysis of data. So, you get an awful lot of stuff on your table, but...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Nick Ramsay for that. Good progress has been made in establishing the Welsh Revenue Authority. Tomorrow, the Finance Committee will conduct a pre-appointment hearing with the preferred candidate for the post of chair of that authority.
Mark Drakeford: Well, I thank Nick Ramsay for that. I’m very anxious not to trespass on the territory of the Finance Committee, who I’m sure will want to explore just these issues with the particular candidate involved. If he’s asking me what I thought I was particularly looking for, then I felt it was really important to put some emphasis on attracting a candidate who would have a real enthusiasm for...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I signed a letter earlier today to the Chair of the Finance Committee—one of a number of letters I’ve sent to the Chair today—in which I set out the latest position in relation to costs for the Welsh Revenue Authority. I make a commitment to provide a further update while the Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill is in front of the...
