Nick Ramsay: We're not talking about income tax. We're talking about air passenger duty.
Nick Ramsay: I'm grateful for the chance to clarify that. You've shifted the argument now onto income tax and that's quite a different tax to APD. I think when it comes to a tax such as APD, there are clearly advantages for it to be devolved to Wales. I think in the case of that tax, there is an argument for parity, but I wasn't saying that there should be parity for everything across the board, otherwise...
Nick Ramsay: Can I thank the Minister for her comments? As you said, there is a fair amount of consensus across this Chamber for the devolution of this tax, and it's a discussion that has gone on for as long as I can remember being in this Chamber. You probably feel the same way. It clearly has risen up the agenda over recent months and years, with the devolution of the other pieces of the tax jigsaw in...
Nick Ramsay: Jack Sargeant has raised an important question regarding banks, First Minister, and we know that there have been a spate of closures across Wales, which have caused concern for local people. In my own area, the town of Usk lost all its banks in quick succession and then the post office—the only financial service that was left—was also under threat. That's been saved through joint action...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, the report that I referred to—and you have as well—also highlights that, while the Welsh Government's low-carbon plan contains 100 policies, only around 1 per cent of the Welsh Government's budget can actually be identified as specifically for decarbonisation. Would you agree that, probably, we need to be a bit more ambitious in the future with trying to get that percentage up?...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister, I'm pleased to hear that progress. Ministers across departments have been making the right noises on decarbonising. Lesley Griffiths has said, 'just as Wales played a leading role in the first industrial revolution, I believe Wales can provide an example to others of what it means to achieve environmental growth.' And she went on to talk about the importance of tackling...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Can the Minister provide an update on the funding allocations being made available across portfolios to progress the decarbonisation of the Welsh economy?
Nick Ramsay: No discussion on invest-to-save is complete without a question from Mike Hedges—I think you've asked a question on it every time it's come up. Minister, I think this is one of those issues that is universally accepted across the Chamber as generally a good idea, and invest-to-save and its successor have a huge role to play in contributing to savings in local government and generating more...
Nick Ramsay: I'm struggling to think of anything that the Minister could possibly add to that in a supplementary question. [Laughter.] If I could just ask—. You mentioned in the middle of your speech there, Minister, the need to build houses for the future. I've had correspondence with one of my constituents—. I don't want to go into the individual planning applications, but the local authority has...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. I was pleased to hear recently that the UK Government had set some very strict targets in terms of decarbonising by the middle of this century. And I think we all agree that drastic action is needed. So, it would be interesting to hear how your Government plans to dovetail with that. Secondly, I recently asked the First Minister, in questions, about some interesting work...
Nick Ramsay: 1. What measures is the Welsh Government taking to decarbonise? OAQ54045
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, can I first concur with the earlier comments made by my colleague Suzy Davies as regards the document amending the Government of Wales Act 2006 not being available on the Welsh Government website? As a Member of the Finance Committee, I have access to it, but I think it is helpful if it's available to a wider audience. Secondly, last week, we had the important debate on plastics and...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. And I don't think you could be criticised for not listening to the future generations commissioner when it came to the M4 decision recently. I'm sure she was pleased that her thoughts were taken on board. I'll leave aside my usual favourite subject of asking about roads, and, if I can, ask you about the monitoring or the enactment of the well-being of future generations...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, a similar point made by Delyth Jewell. [Interruption.] I hope I'm not causing the crying upstairs. [Interruption.] No, it's not my baby; I hope not anyway. [Laughter.] Troy House in Monmouth is a grade II listed property, dating back to the seventeenth century, located in the Mitchel Troy ward in Monmouthshire. It's been in a poor state of decline for many years. It's been a...
Nick Ramsay: 4. How is the Welsh Government ensuring its compliance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015? OAQ54044
Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's economic priorities for south-east Wales?
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I think that the Minister hit the nail on the head there at the very end of her speech when she said that we need action on this as well as warm words. I'll keep my comments brief, Dirprwy Lywydd, because I appreciate the time, and Members from all parties, and independents of course, have made some very good points. I think that, if you look at the statistics, they're...
Nick Ramsay: And talking about innovations, I know that you're very interested in the electric car revolution, and the electric car revolution and autonomous vehicles give an opportunity for getting more capacity out of our motorway network, because cars that can communicate with each other via computer actually don't need such great stopping distances. So, there are all sorts of things happening with the...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister give way?
Nick Ramsay: It's an appropriate point to remember something that Vikki Howells said—I think it was Vikki—in her contribution—that there might be big concerns about the shared prosperity fund, but there are also issues about Barnettisation of funding coming to Wales as well. So, would you agree with me that we have got to make sure, when detail does become more clear around the prosperity fund, that...
