Mark Reckless: Leanne Wood.
Mark Reckless: Point of order.
Mark Reckless: On a point of order, we had, before the session was adjourned, two nominations. There are no provisions in Standing Orders for nominations to be withdrawn. Indeed, the Standing Orders state expressly, at 8.2, ‘If there is an equality of votes between the two candidates a further vote by roll call must take place.’ The language could not be more express or mandatory. It may be that Leanne...
Mark Reckless: Point of order.
Mark Reckless: Expressly with reference to the ruling and information just given?
Mark Reckless: Thank you. Of course, not all provisions are made in Standing Orders, and not all eventualities are considered. But this specific eventuality— ‘If there is an equality of votes between the…candidates’ —is specifically and expressly considered, and it states, ‘a further vote by roll call must take place.’ I have not suggested anyone else be nominated in my point of order—
Mark Reckless: I have not made any point in my point of order suggesting someone else should be nominated, merely that the express condition of the Standing Orders be carried out, in the eventuality expressly provided for in Standing Orders.
Mark Reckless: Given the questioning from his own back benches, does the First Minister share my concern that, if he doesn’t look at other options aside from the black route, we may find that no M4 relief road is built at all?
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Lywydd. You’re new to your role, as I am to this Assembly, and my comments on Standing Orders do not reflect on you or your office. Indeed, I value the constructive conversations we’ve had on the problem. There’s no escaping that we are currently in breach of our Standing Orders, which is not a comfortable place for any legislature to be. As a principle, we have transparency and...
Mark Reckless: The First Minister said earlier that he didn’t want exporters to face unnecessarily high hurdles, and, in setting out the challenges to the steel industry, he’s emphasised his view that the pound has been too high. Would he therefore welcome a more competitive level for the pound, including against the euro?
Mark Reckless: I’d like to thank the Minister for Government business for her statement. We have five statements today—four newly announced. I just wondered if the number of statements reflect the fact we’ve come through a recess, Ministers have been recently appointed and are perhaps finding their feet following the election, and there are more statements than one might normally expect, or has there...
Mark Reckless: Holiday pay was thanks to Neville Chamberlain. Equal pay at work was thanks to the women of Dagenham, and to Barbara Castle. Presiding Officer, campaigns reveal character. As we speak, the First Minister stands side by side with David Cameron—united against people governing themselves, united for free movement and unlimited immigration, united with a Prime Minister who tried to protect the...
Mark Reckless: Wales, more, I think, than any part of our United Kingdom, I am pleased to say, will be better off outside the European Union. We get from the EU £600 million or £700 million, some argue on that side, yet, in per capita terms, our contribution is £1 billion a year, compared to perhaps £16 billion that we pay in tax to the UK Treasury, compared to £32 billion we get back in spending—a...
Mark Reckless: [Continues.]—but governing ourselves.
Mark Reckless: It was recently estimated that, on a standalone basis, the Welsh budget deficit would be £14.6 billion, or 25 per cent of GDP—around 100 times greater than estimates of any transfer to or from the EU. The First Minister said he sees Scotland as the model, but does he not share my concern that if, in the long term, we continue going down the tax devolution route, particularly without a...
Mark Reckless: I was particularly struck by two justifications when reading the Welsh Government’s supporting papers for the black route. First, that it is already a trans-European network, and those papers stated that a new road was required to bring it up to the required standards. So, isn’t that, therefore, a cost of EU membership? Second, that reclassification of the existing M4 could allow it to be...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Lywydd. On his visit to Cardiff City Stadium yesterday, the First Minister said that, following a ‘leave’ vote, the Welsh Government would develop its own separate relationship with the European Union. Does the Minister know what he meant, or how this will affect his portfolio?
Mark Reckless: I am a Welsh resident. I’m slightly concerned with the Minister not being aware about what the First Minister plans in this field. He’s waxed lyrical about European Union funds and community regeneration, but it seems that he and his Government seem to be going more down a separatist route through this joint working with Plaid Cymru. I just wonder, would he not be better deployed working...
Mark Reckless: And on the projects that the Minister speaks of—community regeneration and beyond— where we’re told how wonderful this European money is, it often comes with strings and restrictions. I just wonder, are there any of those projects where the Minister believes that were the Welsh Government to be unfettered in its spending of those funds, it could do a better job?
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way?
