Mark Drakeford: The European advisory group has met three times to date, and provides valuable advice on issues for Wales related to the UK’s exit from the EU.
Mark Drakeford: Welsh Government has worked with all partners to ensure strong governance arrangements underpin this deal. The signing of the deal has established governance arrangements that provide a transparent and accountable process for identifying, prioritising and agreeing projects and interventions that benefit the whole region.
Mark Drakeford: The supplementary budget reflects budgetary changes since the first supplementary budget 2016-17. The budget contains several key allocations that reaffirm our commitment to providing stability for our key public services throughout Wales but also to make early progress on our programme, ‘Taking Wales Forward’.
Mark Drakeford: Positive progress has been made by public services boards to meet their obligations under the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. Every board has published its draft assessment of local well-being for consultation.
Mark Drakeford: While trading standards falls outside the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales, it is an important responsibility of local government. The local government reform White Paper contains proposals aimed at increasing the resilience of this service area as a core part of public protection services.
Mark Drakeford: The White Paper ‘Reforming Local Government: Resilient and Renewed’, which was published on 31 January, sets out the proposed arrangements for regional working. The proposals are the result of months of discussions with local authorities and others on how to strengthen services in the face of future challenges.
Mark Drakeford: Good services play a vitally important role in the lives of all citizens in Wales. The Welsh Government continues to protect funding for our local authorities, so that vital services such as social care can go on being provided.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’d like to start by thanking the Chairs and members of the Finance Committee and the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee for their detailed scrutiny of this Bill throughout Stage 1. I’d also like to thank everyone who has been discussing this issue with us and has contributed to our ideas as we’ve developed this legislation on...
Mark Drakeford: Nawr, gwn na fydd pob Aelod yn cytuno â'r cydbwysedd yr ydym wedi dod iddo yn y Bil, yn enwedig o ran y defnydd o bwerau Harri'r VIII. Ond rwyf am fod yn glir y prynhawn yma ynglŷn â’r rhesymeg sy'n sail i'n dull ni o weithredu. Mae'n adlewyrchu'r hyn, yn ein tŷb ni, yw’r cydbwysedd gorau sydd ar gael rhwng lefel uwch o ddarpariaeth fanwl ar wyneb y ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol, a’r...
Mark Drakeford: Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Thank you to all who’ve taken part in the debate and for the indications from all parties here that they intend to support the progress of the Bill to Stage 2, for which I’m very grateful. I’ll begin by thanking Simon Thomas for making a point that I really probably ought to have made myself, but didn’t have the time, which is that the Bill is about...
Mark Drakeford: Formally.
Mark Drakeford: I formally move.
Mark Drakeford: We have been clear that identifying opportunities for decent employment is a key role of the ministerial taskforce for the Valleys. We will only achieve our ambitions for more prosperous valleys communities if people have access to decent, sustainable work.
Mark Drakeford: Agriculture is a vital industry to Wales and a crucial backbone of the Welsh rural economy. The Welsh Government is working in partnership with the industry to support farming to become more profitable, sustainable, resilient and professionally managed.
Mark Drakeford: I last met the Taoisech, in Wales, on Friday 10 March.
Mark Drakeford: The national transport finance plan sets out the measures we are taking to ensure that south-east Wales is connected via a reliable, modern and integrated transport network.
Mark Drakeford: All 33 recommendations from the ‘Talented Women for a Successful Wales’ report were supported by the Welsh Government. Many of these points call for action to ensure more women work in STEM jobs. The Minister for Skills and Science is to chair a programme board to assist the report’s implementation.
Mark Drakeford: Since the payment window opening on 1 December, over 97 per cent of eligible farm businesses have received their payment, totalling over £212 million. We expect to pay all but the most complex cases by the middle of April.
Mark Drakeford: I welcome the move to a reserved-powers model, which will be introduced by the Wales Act 2017, and which will place the structure of our devolution settlement on the same footing as Scotland.
Mark Drakeford: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee for their report? It is the result of a great deal of hard work, experience and extensive evidence gathering. I was very grateful to have the opportunity to give evidence to the committee, and I know that the First Minister was too. Mae nifer o heriau yn ein hwynebu ni ar y foment, fel...
