Peter Fox: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the hospital discharge service requirements? OQ57663
Peter Fox: I'm speaking in my capacity this afternoon as the Welsh Conservatives spokesman on finance. As a group, we will be supporting these regulations. As we all know, businesses have experienced significant disruption and financial losses during the pandemic, and so the freezing of NDR multiplier in line with what has happened elsewhere in the UK will help to ease the pressure on businesses....
Peter Fox: I'm just finishing, deputy Chair. The budget can and must do more, and this is why I sincerely hope that the Minister is open to engaging with us on this side of the Chamber and not just their friends in Plaid, so we, as one Senedd, can respond to the challenges facing the people of Wales. Diolch.
Peter Fox: We need to see Welsh Ministers engaging with replacement programmes, like many of our councils already have done, so our communities are best placed to take advantage of the funding heading our way. This budget needs to be one of not only support and recovery, but one of aspiration and prosperity, of levelling up—a budget that finally delivers real change for the people of Wales rather than...
Peter Fox: And, once again, this is what we have ended up with. Minister, this debate is an opportunity to gain genuine cross-party support for your spending plans as well as to ensure that your budget puts Wales on a better path. Will you meet with me and colleagues from this side of the Chamber to listen to our concerns as well as those of stakeholders, and to consider our plans to ensure that the...
Peter Fox: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. I move the amendment in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. Before I begin, can I thank the Minister for her statement, as well as my colleague the Chair of the Finance Committee? I'd like to thank you most sincerely for the way you've managed the committee through this first budget round; it's been great working with you. And also thanks to all of those who...
Peter Fox: I would like to declare an interest that I'm currently a sitting councillor on Monmouthshire County Council. Trefnydd, could I call for a statement from yourself in your capacity as rural affairs Minister regarding the co-operation and supply chain development scheme? As you may already be aware, the rural programmes team at Monmouthshire council has applied for funding under round 11 of the...
Peter Fox: I thank the Member for Ogmore for raising this important issue, even though I don't agree with perhaps all of the sentiment nor the way he presents it. But, following the welcome announcement by the Chancellor of a package of support to help people with the rising costs of living, including support to cope with rising energy costs as well as council tax rebate, the Welsh Government will...
Peter Fox: Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. Can I thank James Evans for bringing forward this important and timely debate? And as everybody in the Chamber I'm sure would agree, obesity is a serious public health issue; James pointed out the issues, as well as Rhun. The Welsh health service—it's costing that millions a year to treat, and things are getting worse. It is an issue that clearly needs to be...
Peter Fox: Thank you, Minister, for the statement. Llywydd, I would like to just remind Members of the fact that I am a practising farmer, as stated in my interests. As I'm sure you're aware, Minister, this Friday marks the beginning of the Big Farmland Bird Count, organised by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. This aims to encourage farmers and land managers to support farmland birds and to...
Peter Fox: Apologies in advance, as I'll follow the same theme as Llyr, if I may, but I'm conscious of your answer, Minister. As we know, the pandemic has had a substantial economic impact on families and resulted in more people needing access to financial advice and support. Councils are often the first port of call for people, and offer an important source of help and advice, and so increasing demand...
Peter Fox: 6. How will the sustainable farming scheme support habitat conservation projects? OQ57564
Peter Fox: Trefnydd, could I request a statement from the Minister for health on the national roster review currently being carried out by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust? Specifically, I would like an update from the Welsh Government on what discussions officials have had with the ambulance NHS trust on potential plans to downgrade the ambulance stations in both Monmouth and Chepstow. This...
Peter Fox: Can I thank colleagues from across the Chamber, and in particular James Evans for bringing forward this important and timely debate? As other Members have said, public transport is essential to prevent isolation and loneliness, as well as ensuring people are able to access the services that they need, especially health services at this time. Encouraging people to use public transport more...
Peter Fox: Thank you, Deputy Llywydd, and thank you, Minister, for the statement. Children, mothers, fathers, grandparents—no-one was immune to being engulfed in the depraved flames of Nazism. More than 6 million people were murdered, as we've already heard, and they were murdered not for any fault of their own, but simply because of who they were. And that number is more than just a figure; behind it...
Peter Fox: Can I thank you, Minister, for your statement? I welcome some of the developments that have been previously outlined by the Welsh Government and expanded on by you today. For example, I'm pleased that the Welsh Government has decided to work with the UK Government on its proposals to transform public procurement now we have left the EU. I think using one legislative vehicle and...
Peter Fox: Thank you, Minister, for your response. Charities and the wider voluntary sector have played a vital role in supporting our communities throughout the pandemic. And I would like to place on record my appreciation of the fantastic army of volunteers across Wales who have gone above and beyond to help us through these difficult times. However, the sector has experienced significant financial...
Peter Fox: 2. How is the Welsh Government supporting charities and the voluntary sector during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ57420
Peter Fox: Aside from business support, we also need to look at ways of supporting our local and national economies, and I think that this budget could have done far more in this regard. Our town centres will be provided with an extra £100 million capital over the budget period, but I question whether this fund will be enough to finally start reversing the long-term decline of the high street and to...
Peter Fox: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Can I thank you, Minister, for your statement today? The past two years have been some of the most difficult that we have experienced. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all, restrictions have curtailed our freedoms, vast swathes of our society have been forced to shut, and public services have come under huge pressure. Our front-line services, as well as our...
