Nick Ramsay: It wouldn't be an international strategy debate without me giving a plug for Love Zimbabwe, of course, which I'm sure you're expecting. You know the hard work that that charity does in Monmouthshire, and you've had meetings with them yourself. So, can you give an assurance that Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole, as a developing part of the world, will feature highly in the Welsh Government's...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister make a statement on the support available to farmers post-Brexit?
Nick Ramsay: As a member of the Finance Committee and speaking with one voice, yes, I do agree with you on that, Mike Hedges, and I think that whenever there's a large infrastructure—. Well, the way the Barnett formula works, whenever there's a large infrastructure project going on on a UK level that benefits one area, like Crossrail, for instance, benefits London, then I think that there's a natural...
Nick Ramsay: The Chair of the Finance Committee has pretty much covered comprehensively all aspects of the supplementary budget that were referred to. Can I concur with the comments that Llyr Gruffydd made with regard to the issue of the HS2 funding? I think that was something that the committee was eager to find out: what the exact lay of the land was in terms of funding for Wales. I know it doesn't work...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister take an intervention? I'm pleased that you were listening, Minister, and have taken things on board. Would you agree with me that, given the growing powers of this place and the growing fiscal devolution, perhaps this debate itself—the final budget debate—is something that could be looked at in terms of the scope of the debate? I got the feeling today that many Members...
Nick Ramsay: Will you be putting forward an alternative budget?
Nick Ramsay: I didn't quite catch the question at the end of that, but on the Public Accounts Committee, we've been looking at the loans situation of Cardiff Airport, and there are some confusions there that need to be cleared up on the committee. I think what we would be afraid of is, yes, it's fine to give loans to a project, but those loans should not amount to a blank cheque. Those loans should not be...
Nick Ramsay: Yes, sure.
Nick Ramsay: I do remember Gordon Brown putting forward an alternative budget many years ago, and I think the Labour Party was out of power for many years after that. It wasn't Gordon Brown, sorry, I take that back—Mike Hedges will correct me—it was John Smith. The problem with putting forward an alternative budget is, as the Minister knows, an economic situation is fast-moving, and, actually, it is...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank the Minister for her opening remarks regarding the issue of flooding, and also add my words of thanks to the emergency services for all their hard work and commitment during those difficult times, which may, of course, not be over yet? I am pleased, Minister, that you started your contribution with the issue of flooding and with climate change. I seem to...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention? You're right to say this is a short motion, and I can understand that, given that this year there's going to be very little change. I imagine, in future income tax motions, should there be changes in the tax rates, there'll probably be more vigorous debate and they probably will require a little bit longer. That's a message probably more for you with your...
Nick Ramsay: Welsh Conservatives will be supporting this motion today. I appreciate it's a short motion, but it is a very important one, an historic one: the setting of income tax rates—the WRIT—for the first time in Wales. After many months, many years, of talking about this process, we are now in it. Admittedly, the rates being considered today are simply replacing the UK part of taxation that has...
Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister provide an update on the support available to businesses affected by the recent floods?
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way, Neil. You've made a very interesting contribution. I think it's a thought-provoking debate. Would you agree that, as Darren Millar said earlier, we have to distinguish between devolution and the Welsh Government? Too often, people don't do that. For instance, if you were First Minister yourself, maybe you'd look a little bit more sympathetically on devolution.
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way, Mark. I remember when Dafydd Elis-Thomas once told me, or told this Chamber some years back—or I think it was on the radio, actually, Dafydd—that Snowdon was the highest peak in Wales and, because there was nothing higher in England, it was the highest in England as well. I remember that well. You are quite right to say that England and Wales are different. Is it...
Nick Ramsay: Whenever someone from your own side intervenes, it's always good to agree with them. So, I feel, Russ, you've made an important point. Yes, it's too often today some Members have said, 'Why are you talking about roads?' Well, it's necessary to talk about roads; they are a vital part of the overall mix, and that's why we brought that motion here today. As Mohammad Asghar said, the M4 is a...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. It's a pleasure to round up this debate today, on, let's face it, what is a very important subject for this Chamber, for the people of Wales. It used to be said about the late Lord Wyn Roberts that he built more roads in Wales than the Romans, and he did build a fair few, it's true, including, of course, the A470, a major infrastructure project, which you can't imagine...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention?
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way, Helen Mary. I hear what you're saying about taking more cars off the road, and, hopefully, that will help ease the congestion, and I hear also that you don't support the M4 black route across the Gwent levels. But, do you accept that there needs to be some kind of infrastructure improvement in terms of the road itself? That current road is a standard that's way out of...
Nick Ramsay: As Bethan Jenkins—sorry, Bethan Sayed—said before, it works as a part of the metro jigsaw, and I'm going to qualify my question to you by saying I appreciate that you're not superman, and that you can't wave a magic wand and—[Interruption.] And you can't wave a magic wand—[Interruption.] No. And you can't wave a magic wand and make all these happen tomorrow, but, in terms of getting...
