Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. The drop in land transaction tax revenue by 47 per cent, I think you said, is indeed worrying but understandable during the lockdown, due to the massive slowdown in the housing market. Getting revenues up depends on getting the market moving, I'm sure you're aware of that. Whilst I welcome your introduction of a stamp duty holiday, I have questioned the threshold of...
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to be able to contribute to today's debate on the impact of variations in national and sub-national income tax. It's not something that trips off the tongue all too easily on a daily basis, but I welcome the Chair's excellent opening contribution, which I think explained the context within which this important piece of work was compiled. This report was a very interesting one to...
Nick Ramsay: Can I firstly concur with the comments made by Mike Hedges regarding the need for greater regulation of fireworks? Two issues if I may, Llywydd: firstly, Trefnydd, I've been contacted by a number of constituents who are very concerned about the limited number of train carriages being used to get young people to and from Hereford Sixth Form College from Abergavenny station. Despite each child...
Nick Ramsay: I thank the Minister for bringing forward these regulations today. The Welsh Conservatives will be supporting these regulations as we have been calling for some time for a land transaction tax holiday here in Wales to mirror the stamp duty holiday that was originally introduced, primarily in England, as a mechanism to energise the housing market during this time of the pandemic and lockdown....
Nick Ramsay: Minister, good afternoon. I'm sure you'll join me in recognising the courage and resilience of our children as they return to school in what is a very worrying time for them and their parents. What thoughts have you given to providing more pastoral support and care to children in Wales, particularly in primary schools and nurseries at this time? In recent years, there's been an increasing...
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to contribute to this afternoon's debate, and I've got to say, just listening to that last contribution from Rhianon Passmore, I do find it a bit rich when the Welsh Labour Government have constantly called on the UK Government to provide more funding to this place and more funding for public services in Wales at the very time that they just received an extra £4 billion to...
Nick Ramsay: 6. What discussions has the First Minister had with local authority leaders regarding local lockdowns? OQ55644
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, First Minister. You've obviously covered a fair amount of this with previous questions, so feel free to be brief. You've mentioned discussions with local authority leaders. In answer to Laura Anne Jones earlier, you reiterated that those discussions—. I spoke with Councillor Peter Fox this morning, the leader of Monmouthshire County Council, currently an amber authority, as I'm...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister, for the statement.
Nick Ramsay: Well, where to start? I think we are at least united in the desire to support jobs, young people, communities and our environment, and to 'grow back greener', as is the new expression that's going around. But, I must say, Minister, I'm a bit disappointed with today's statement. You point out that the UK Government has the macro-economic levers required to reignite the economy, but of course...
Nick Ramsay: 5. Will the Minister provide an update on discussions with Transport for Wales regarding social distancing on public transport? OQ55645
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for that answer, Minister. You'll be aware, I'm sure, of continuing concerns and anxiety surrounding Transport for Wales arrangements for students travelling from Torfaen and Monmouthshire to and from Hereford; it's an issue I raised with the Trefnydd yesterday, and she did say she'd raise it with you. Despite each child having paid for their season ticket in advance, students are...
Nick Ramsay: Can I firstly concur with Leanne Wood's earlier comments supporting Baby Loss Awareness Week? My own son will turn two next month—I can't quite believe it—but I can't imagine the heartbreak that parents and families go through when things don't go according to plan, both during pregnancy and afterwards. I think those families do need support, and I for one will certainly be supporting the...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. I've got Janet Finch-Saunders behind me, so that's all the self-promotion I need for this question. [Laughter.] Minister, we talk a lot about building back better and building back greener in this Chamber. It strikes me that expanding horticulture is one way that we can do this. Of course, Welsh horticulture is massively supported by seasonal agricultural workers coming to...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, I recently spoke with Monmouthshire County Council leader Peter Fox, who told me that the pandemic has understandably had a massive impact on local government resources and they are worried about the medium-term sustainability of statutory services, let alone non-statutory services. Monmouthshire County Council has seen a huge fall-off in funding this year, including business rates,...
Nick Ramsay: The Finance Committee's inquiry into whether we should have a legislative budget process may not have been the talk of pubs and clubs across Wales, but it's an issue that we as a committee considered to be of considerable interest to the future smooth running of this place. I think particular credit should be given to Alun Davies, who's been banging the drum for this since long before the...
Nick Ramsay: Can I also ask, Trefnydd, for further clarification from the Welsh Government on the firebreak lockdown? And perhaps the debate later on this afternoon is an opportunity for the Minister to respond. I've been contacted by the owners of Raglan Garden Centre, who are very concerned about the closure of garden centres over the next few weeks. I know that my colleague the Member for South Wales...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon, Minister. Minister, these are worrying times for Welsh businesses and for workers across Wales with the ongoing pandemic. What assessment of the financial costs associated with the impending firebreak have you made, and have you considered the cost of any future potential lockdowns as well—rolling lockdowns?
Nick Ramsay: I'll do what I can, Minister, in that regard. The impending firebreak is clearly going to have a significant financial impact on businesses and employers across Wales. You've spoken about the need for co-operation with the UK Government. It now appears that Welsh Government officials knew that a firebreak was coming on Wednesday of last week, yet the Welsh Government only wrote to the...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you. I agree with you on that last point, Minister; it's certainly not a satisfactory situation. Ian Price, the director of the Confederation of British Industry has said that it appears that some people may well be falling through the cracks between the job retention scheme and the job support scheme, whilst Ben Cottam of Federation of Small Businesses Wales has said that 'the amount...
