Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister, I appreciate it’s early days and I’m looking forward to scrutinising you on the Finance Committee, with my colleagues as well, on the subject of the budget. You just said that you’re lacking money or you haven’t received money from the UK Government, but, as I’m sure you would recognise, the Welsh Government’s resource budget will increase by over £485...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Llywydd. Good afternoon, Minister.
Nick Ramsay: How can we expect to see the extra funding for the Welsh Government, resulting from the recent UK Government spending review, deliver benefits for Wales in the coming Welsh Government budget?
Nick Ramsay: 6. Will the Minister provide an update on the collection of devolved taxes? OAQ54524
Nick Ramsay: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the promotion of the Welsh language in Monmouthshire? OAQ54522
Nick Ramsay: Well, it's an interesting question by Dave Rowlands. I could hear supporters of Welsh independence clamouring that they don't care about the financial impact of independence: they just want their country back. Well, where have we heard that—[Interruption.] Where have we heard that before? [Interruption.] First Minister, your own statistics—[Interruption.]
Nick Ramsay: Fake news?
Nick Ramsay: I'm surprised they weren't more worked up listening to the original question, but there we are. First Minister, isn't the reality of the situation—? You gave some very good statistics there, but isn't the reality of the situation that, day-by-day, Wales is steadily growing increasingly financially autonomous as a part of the United Kingdom, and, when it comes to tax devolution and borrowing...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, last week, a planning application for 111 new houses in my constituency, which had previously been approved by the local authority before being called in by the Welsh Government, was subsequently rejected by the inspectorate on the grounds of it contravening the well-being of future generations legislation, which Hefin David has just mentioned. It was rejected on the basis that the...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for that answer, Minister. I think Llyr Gruffydd has pretty much maxed out all the subjects to question you on in farming in the last couple of questions. He's even written to me as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. But with regard to the 'Sustainable Farming and our Land' consultation that Llyr mentioned, that's obviously well under way—been under way for some time. I've...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Will the First—? Will the Minister make a statement—? I was promoting you there.
Nick Ramsay: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policies for supporting farming? OAQ54478
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, last week a planning application for 111 houses on the edge of Raglan in my constituency, which had been called in by the Welsh Government, was refused by the independent planning inspector, and I received a copy of the report and the letter, primarily on the grounds of conflict with the well-being of future generations legislation. It strikes me that this legislation and the...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, you just mentioned three of the projects in Cynon Valley. I didn't quite catch, at the start of that, the number of projects overall that have been given funding, so if you could repeat that, I'd be grateful. From my own perspective, I'd be interested to know if any projects in Monmouthshire have received money since the scheme has been going, and what's being done to ensure that...
Nick Ramsay: As Neil McEvoy has said, or indicated, I think if one thing is clear about lobbying in Wales at the moment it's that there is a distinct lack of clarity, which has caused some of the issues over the last, well, few months and years. So, it's clear, as you mentioned, the standards committee report—I think my colleague Paul Davies was on the committee at the time that was looked into—came...
Nick Ramsay: I'm also pleased to contribute to this afternoon's important debate—important because what could be more important than discussing education? What could be more important than the future of our young people? The results that we've been talking about this afternoon are not the be-all and end-all of education, but they are a key indicator of where we are as a country in terms of educating our...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for giving way, Alun. As you've mentioned rivers, as the chair of the cross-party Assembly group on waterways, it'd be remiss of me not to also mention the important role that canals have played in our history and industrial heritage. So, when you mention rivers, then perhaps you could give—actually, I'm not speaking in this today—perhaps you could give a word to our canals as well.
Nick Ramsay: Minister, many of our railway stations have been inadequate when it comes to disabled access for a considerable length of time now. I know, as you've said, you've been trying to address this. You've just mentioned the list of Access for All stations. Abergavenny station was on the list, I believe, that was put forward by the Welsh Government, and I think was successful following discussions...
Nick Ramsay: Neil McEvoy has stolen my thunder on an issue I was going to raise on incineration, as I've also had a local issue in Monmouthshire, just outside Usk, with concerns surrounding a proposal for an incinerator. I think you said, in answer to Neil McEvoy, that the Welsh Government is going to be looking at this. I know that, across the water in the United States, there have been concerns for some...
Nick Ramsay: The Member makes an important point: it's important in all these schemes that efficiency is gained and value for money is achieved. Of course, it's not just the Welsh taxpayer who funds the Arbed scheme; a significant proportion of that money comes from the European regional development fund. So, I wonder what work is being done, in advance of Brexit, to ensure that energy efficiency schemes...
