Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention, as you mentioned the work of the Public Accounts Committee? And thank you for doing that. As you know, this was a departure for the Public Accounts Committee; it's not the sort of area that we normally look at. But I think, from what I've gathered from speaking to some of the young people who were involved in our inquiry, it's important that the old silos are...
Nick Ramsay: You know that I'm pretty sympathetic—. Thanks for taking the intervention. You know I'm pretty sympathetic to the name 'Senedd' and I think it's actually a very appropriate name for this Parliament. On the issue of the poll that you just referred to, perhaps on that day the majority of the people who responded did say that they would rather a monolingual name in Welsh rather than English,...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to move this motion today in the name of Darren Millar. The fiscal framework agreement between the Welsh and UK Governments was a groundbreaking agreement that really moved the funding situation in Wales on. It was welcomed by all sides and I think it's to the credit of both Governments involved in that that we ended up with that agreement. As a result of...
Nick Ramsay: Well, I would say, if I'd got a bit further along, he might have heard a bit more, but there you are. No, I'm saying that the fiscal framework is to be welcomed, and I'm sure that you welcomed the fiscal framework—I think you did anyway, and I think your party did. [Interruption.] Go for it.
Nick Ramsay: If you're actually saying that you don't want more money to come to Wales and you want us to suffer from the poverty that we've got, I don't think you really mean to say that. [Interruption.] I'm not going to let you in again. I don't know whether you're trying to get up again. Look, I welcome the fact that the fiscal framework means there is an uplift in the money that we receive and I...
Nick Ramsay: I will in a moment, I'll just finish this. —the next—I was going to say Assembly election, but I suppose Senedd election is more appropriate, isn't it—the next Senedd election in 2021, and to come clean with the electorate in advance of that election if the intention is to significantly raise income tax after it. Mike Hedges.
Nick Ramsay: I think I understand. Your point being that in the case that there was a reduction in money coming here from the UK Government, then would that mean that the Welsh Government would be able to increase it?
Nick Ramsay: Yes, I wouldn't be averse to a no-detriment principle there, so you can infer that, but I think that that would have to be very carefully considered, and I think that, over the medium term at least, if that was done, there should be mechanisms within the Welsh Government so that tax rates are seen to be competitive. I know that we've often had these discussions, Mike, about volatile taxes...
Nick Ramsay: I chose my words carefully, actually. I didn't say 'union of equals'; I said that our membership of the United Kingdom has been beneficial. I feel that this speech has been more of an intervention on everyone else, to be honest. [Laughter.] I don't dismiss your point, Llyr; I am, of course, talking about the current situation and, currently, that is estimated to be our deficit, and it is...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention?
Nick Ramsay: Yes, you're quite right to say that it's the situation that Wales faces now. On the day after independence, on the day of independence, that would be the situation. So, to say, 'Well, it's going to be challenging and we wouldn't have been in this position before' will not matter when people find their taxes are going up, there's not enough money to spend on public services, and people in...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention? Thank you for that. That amount of money might be spread over a number of years, but it is, you must welcome, an amount of money that is going to come to Wales that wouldn't otherwise. On the fiscal framework, which, again, you've only just touched upon, I wasn't mudslinging earlier, as Rhun pointed out, I was actually complimenting the way the Welsh Government...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention? Just on that health figure, I don't disagree with you. I haven't got the figures in front of me, but I don't disagree with you that the figure might be higher here, but, of course, that isn't necessarily the issue. The issue is the rate of increase of the health budget within Wales vis-à-vis the other parts of the UK, and that's where—. Because you start off...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister provide an update on the development of the new Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran?
Nick Ramsay: Minister, as I'm sure you're aware, this Saturday coming is Welsh Small Business Saturday. A great opportunity for all of us, as Assembly Members, to support local homegrown businesses, both in the high street and elsewhere. Last week in this Chamber, the First Minister made the important point that the high street of the past cannot simply be resurrected, no matter how much we sometimes...
Nick Ramsay: 7. Will the Minister provide an update on plans to improve the trunk road network in Monmouthshire? OAQ54782
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. When I last raised the issue of the A4042 flooding problem at Llanellen with your colleague, the Deputy Minister, a few weeks ago he pointed out, rightly, that the problems are well-known and difficult to deal with and if I had any solutions to let you know. Well, it seemed to me, thinking about this afterwards, that there is one obvious, although costly, solution, which...
Nick Ramsay: Can I concur with Mike Hedges's previous comments and requests on two issues? Firstly, on the request for a statement and update on what the Welsh Government is doing to help disabled people into work or back into work. Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of visiting Legacy International Group Ltd, based in Merthyr but serving the whole of south Wales. They have got a number of projects going...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Member take an intervention?
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way, Julie. I quite agree with what you've just said about the importance of schools recording data when it comes to bullying, but would you also agree that, in the interests of transparency, it's important that data isn't just recorded but that it's available to parents should they request it so that we do get an accurate picture of bullying, and, more importantly, the...
