Mark Reckless: I thank the First Minister for his response. The legal position, at least the position that was sent to me in correspondence, has, however, changed. Initially, the focus was that the UK Government could do it because it was the charging authority, but actually the UK Government isn’t seeking to enforce on our side of the road, and it would need to enforce, and there are real difficulties in...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. The Finance Committee spent quite a significant period of time considering the issue of land partly situated in Wales and partly situated in England. Earlier in proceedings, we understood that there were 40 or so such properties that straddled the border, but as proceedings went on, that number was revised up and up, and we now understand that it is in excess of 1,000. The...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. I thank all Members who have contributed comments, and recognise, with Nick Ramsay, we’re trying to do a pretty similar ambition with our amendments 36 and 32. I note the strength of the Cabinet Secretary for finance’s reply in terms of competence issues around 35, and I had only sought to put in an amendment that I considered might be arguable. I accept his view that...
Mark Reckless: I think amendment 37, Llywydd, would be consequential to amendment 35, so, I also seek permission to withdraw or not vote on 37, but seek a vote on 36.
Mark Reckless: I move formally.
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd, and I promise to shortly yield the floor to others as I had the lead amendments on the first two groups. I adjusted my previous set of amendments in light of what we heard at the committee stage and a number of other amendments that I pursued them I’m not pursuing here. However, this amendment is in the same form that I put to committee, and I think it’s a key amendment...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. Nick Ramsay alleges, in reference to the dissing of his amendments, to collusion between Plaid Cymru and the Government. I'm not quite sure what degree of interaction goes on and whether it's properly called collusion, but I think it does give a difficulty for others in this Assembly who are very clearly on the opposition as to whether we’re scrutinising some degree of...
Mark Reckless: As it’s consequential to the amendment that’s just been defeated, I won’t move 39.
Mark Reckless: Similarly, Llywydd, 40 all the way through to 42 are not amendments I wish to move, given the key decision and principles being taken.
Mark Reckless: Could I say, Llywydd, I don’t want to move amendment 41?
Mark Reckless: Similarly, I do not seek to move 42.
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. I thank Steffan Lewis for his amendment. At least on the English translation of what he was saying, the reference was to an expectation on Welsh Government to commission the report, an expectation on them to publish the report, but then a requirement to respond, whereas, at least in the English language version of the amendment, I read all those as being mandatory. That’s...
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way?
Mark Reckless: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make any assurances to increase the proportion of the NHS budget spent on primary care in Wales? OAQ(5)0143(HWS)
Mark Reckless: I welcome those increases. To the extent that health systems in the UK have a reputation internationally for delivering good value, considerable emphasis is placed on the role of GPs as gatekeepers to the significantly more expensive parts of the system, particularly in hospitals. Given the pressures on GPs, would it not potentially assist the health Secretary, with the deficits he faces at...
Mark Reckless: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding the impact on services in Wales of having separate consultant pay contracts to those in England?
Mark Reckless: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding completion of the eastern bay relief road?
Mark Reckless: Will the First Minister give way?
Mark Reckless: Does he not understand that, simply as a matter of economic analysis, how those tariffs will fall in terms of the split between consumers and suppliers, and how much they get passed on, will depend on the competitive nature of that market?
Mark Reckless: I’m delighted to follow David Melding. I apologise to him for my inability to engage in the debate over the hypostatic union of the medieval church. Perhaps we can discuss offline. Can I say that I hope that the process of the two-year withdrawal will help bring people together, within our United Kingdom and within the Assembly? I believe that the article 50 letter, as delivered by the...
