Mark Drakeford: Harnessing advances in digital and data offers real opportunities to public services. The Welsh Government is investing in the capacity to make the most of these chances, for example, through investment in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank in Swansea and by working with the Office for National Statistics as they develop their data science campus in Newport.
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for that. There are things we say on this topic in the White Paper on local government, and I very much share his focus on the way in which big-data analysis can make a difference to the most everyday aspects of what local authorities provide. I was hearing only earlier this week from a big-data analysis company of the way in which, in another part of the world, simply by...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, there was widespread support for a general power of competence for local authorities in Wales when the previous Government consulted on the draft Local Government (Wales) Bill. It remains a key part of our plans for reform, as set out in the White Paper published on 31 January.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, the general power of competence is a power of the first resort. It allows local authorities to carry out things for the benefit of their local populations without needing to find the specific power that allows them to do that. It is a general power, of course, designed to give local authorities more freedom within the law, not freedom from the law.
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for the question. The Government supports fair pay across the devolved public sector. While pay for local government staff remains a matter for democratically elected local authorities as employers, the Welsh Government supports them in that work through, for example, the workforce partnership council, the independent remuneration panel, and the Public Services Staff Commission.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I would expect any actions by local authorities in reviewing jobs that staff carry out to be carried out in a way that is consistent with the advice provided by this Government and the agreements that those local authorities will have with their trade unions. One of the ways in which we will help to make sure that that happens in future is through the Trade Union (Wales) Bill...
Mark Drakeford: Proposals in the White Paper ‘Reforming Local Government: Resilient and Renewed’ put elected members at the heart of collaborative decision making. Elected members are then directly accountable to local people through the ballot box.
Mark Drakeford: As the United Kingdom leaves the EU we will further align public sector procurement to priorities of job creation, simplification, community benefits and value for money for the public pound in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: The headquarters of the Welsh Revenue Authority will be at Treforest. The WRA will also have a presence in both Aberystwyth and Llandudno, to ensure staff have direct contact with stakeholders, taxpayers and their agents.
Mark Drakeford: The majority of local authorities in Wales have adopted the model concerns and complaints policy for public services providers in Wales. The model was introduced in 2011 and was endorsed by Welsh Ministers. Local authorities nevertheless remain responsible for their own complaints handling process.
Mark Drakeford: I am currently consulting on proposals for reform as set out in the ‘Reforming Local Government’ White Paper. These proposals were developed with local government to ensure they are fit for our shared purpose of resilient and renewed local government that is able to deliver better outcomes for the people of Wales.
Mark Drakeford: The local government White Paper emphasises the importance of citizens being active partners in the delivery of services and of local authorities using a range of methods, including digital tools, to enable participation. This includes proposals around electronic voting as part of wider efforts to modernise elections.
Mark Drakeford: I intend to explore, in an applied and practical way, whether changes to local taxation in Wales could make our systems fairer. The options include land value tax. It will be important to assess what information would be needed to operate any new tax effectively.
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, thank you very much. The Welsh Government has a long track record of funding infrastructure investment in Wales through our capital budget. Targeted investment in infrastructure is amongst the most important interventions a Government can make to support sustainable growth and job creation. In addition to increasing economic output and promoting higher levels of employment,...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Nick Ramsay for those questions. To start with his first point, I’ve set out in front of the Finance Committee, I think a number of times, my view that there is a hierarchy of how you deploy capital. My first ambition will always be to use whatever conventional capital comes our way. When we’ve deployed all the conventional capital, then we would look to use our borrowing powers,...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I thank Adam Price for what he said at the outset of his contribution. It was a pleasure for me to go with him to Velindre with the vice-president of the EIB, Jonathan Taylor, and to hear an update about what they’re planning in Velindre. Mae ansawdd ein syniadau ar gyfer buddsoddi yn bwysig iawn wrth ddenu sylw a diddordeb buddsoddwyr fel Banc Buddsoddi Ewrop, ac roedd yn dda iawn...
Mark Drakeford: I thank the Member for those questions. We will have to take a pragmatic approach to the EIB in the end. It’s as Nick Ramsay said—we are facing the economic realities of the impact of austerity on our capital budget. The president of the EIB has said that although the technical issues are difficult they are not insurmountable, if the UK were to remain a subscribing partner, but it will...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I’m very grateful to Mike Hedges for reminding us of some of the history of this. I very well remember that first half of the last decade when the Welsh Government here came under enormous pressure, including from some Labour politicians in London, to follow the PFI line and to borrow money in that way. It was resisted—stoutly resisted—by successive Governments in that decade, and...
Mark Drakeford: We launched a national and international recruitment campaign last October aimed at attracting doctors, particularly GPs, to train, work, and live in Wales. This phase of the campaign is just the start of a longer term approach aimed at increasing the number of healthcare professionals working in primary care in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: We continue to provide a wide range of support to all high-street businesses in Wales, including actions that improve business conditions.
