Mark Reckless: I congratulate the Member on obtaining the debate and thank him for giving me a minute of his time, and also wish him a happy birthday. The emphasis, to my mind, has evolved and we heard that it was an automotive park, and the Tech Valleys initiative and then I think, latterly, there's been a greater emphasis on cyber security. And I agree with Alun Davies that this Government needs to be...
Mark Reckless: Does the Minister believe that the advantages of consolidation of post-16 education at Merthyr Tydfil College outweigh any reduction in choice or increase in travel times for those students who, in the past, have attended school sixth forms?
Mark Reckless: I hear what the First Minister says in response, but on climate change, the future generations commissioner has observed that 'The steps the government are taking at the moment do not appear to match the declaration of a climate emergency.' Some taxpayers may welcome that in view of the amount of money you've put into Cardiff Airport; if Cardiff Airport expands to take flights that Bristol...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, last night, a few miles south-east of here, councillors voted by 18 to 17 to block Bristol Airport from expanding any further as they say it would exacerbate the climate emergency. With Bristol Airport set to hit its 10 million passenger limit next year, does the First Minister welcome this opportunity for Cardiff Airport to expand its flights and serve passengers who would...
Mark Reckless: Gerry Adams.
Mark Reckless: The way the process works, with a draft budget and then a period of at least several weeks of apparent consultation and consideration of what's in that draft budget before we then bring forward a final budget for consideration, I wonder whether that process gives the impression to people outwith the Welsh Government in particular who may receive, or benefit from, funding that there is a...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. Stepping back from the specifics of this budget, and the particular difficulties that we've had with the timing of the UK budget relative to our own, what view does the finance Minister take about how our budget process works in the round? How well, or otherwise, does it compare to what we might see as best practice from other legislatures, whether within the UK or...
Mark Reckless: Will the Minister give way?
Mark Reckless: Does he think it's reasonable for someone who has only demonstrated proficiency through examination in Welsh to be able to practice across England, in English?
Mark Reckless: Well, that's entirely appropriate if we have a system for Wales. But I would question whether it is a reasonable ask for an England-and-Wales regulator. Although, I would support greater engagement with the Assembly on these issues as proposed, and perhaps these can be discussed. I continue my disappointment with the Supreme Court and the arrangements there about the appointments. The report...
Mark Reckless: I concur in many circumstances that the Member is correct in his diagnosis. In this report, reading chapter 11 on the Welsh language and then chapter 12 on the governance of professions, I'm not convinced that they are linked sufficiently. Currently, legal exams are not available, at degree level at least, in Welsh. This proposes that they should be and people should be able to qualify...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendments in the name of Caroline Jones. We oppose the devolution of justice and policing. I was pleased to take the time to consider this very impressive report in detail before saying that. I think there is an analogy between the EU and devolution. It comes where there's an interface between, here, devolved and non-devolved services. Clearly, where you have such...
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way?
Mark Reckless: Could I ask him, with his long experience, why he thinks things have changed such that we now have good attendance and participation in debates such as this, whereas in the past they were thinly attended?
Mark Reckless: It depends which council you refer to. Some of the activities carried out by unitary councils here would be carried out by states in the United States, which are of course much bigger. But what I would say is: I believe 22 is too many, and I think we should require local councils to merge with at least one other. I think Cardiff and Powys should probably be exceptions on account of their...
Mark Reckless: So, while we thought £52 million was quite a lot for the Welsh Government to spend on Cardiff Airport, compared to the KPMG estimate of a valuation of £25 million to £35 million, it suggests that, actually, the £52 million compares relatively well to the £40 million, when Cardiff had 1 million passengers compared to the 130,000 there, but whether that's the right valuation I don't know....
Mark Reckless: I thank Rhun for his contribution there and for his service on the Finance Committee. We're sorry to have lost him. And I also welcome Nick Ramsay back to the Chamber and thank him for his contribution. He mentioned the airport, and the Conservatives were criticising the further expenditure on that, and Carwyn Jones, the ex-First Minister, who is no longer in his place, came back by saying,...
Mark Reckless: I did think we had been here before, but I thank the Minister, who's made a fulsome apology and perhaps, I think, has gone further even than necessary in terms of accepting or apologising for error. And I think I'd say also I think it's an issue for us as an Assembly. We debated this before, I spoke and I myself did not notice this error or draw it to the Minister's attention and no other...
Mark Reckless: Thank you. Of course, it's not me who's saying these things, but the car companies, as reported in the Financial Times. But it should not be a surprise that, when the EU sells £265 billion-worth of goods to us and we only sell £170 billion-worth of goods to them, if you make trade more expensive through tariffs, that production would relocate on a net basis from the EU to the UK in light...
Mark Reckless: Now we have left the EU, could I ask you, First Minister, about how the Welsh Government should be consulted on future trade agreements and what your priorities are? Of course, if the UK Government had listened to you before, when you said tariffs would devastate the UK car industry by causing it to relocate to the EU, they might be surprised by this week's news. Groupe PSA, who make...
