Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, it is the emptiest of contributions to offer us further and further iterations of the problem, without a single sentence that helps us to find a solution. This Government pays the real living wage to social care workers; the first time that's ever been done in the history of devolution. But I just put to the leader of Plaid Cymru the points I made earlier this afternoon: our budget...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, the leader of Plaid Cymru drew attention to the resolution passed at the Labour Party conference. That is the policy of my party, and it is a policy this Government dearly wish that we were in a position to implement. He will know that every 1 per cent rise in the pay bill across the public service in Wales costs another £100 million. Every 1 per cent costs £100 million. If...
Mark Drakeford: Well, what I will say, Llywydd, is that long waits in the NHS in Wales have come down for four months in a row, and people across the system are doing their very best to make sure that they meet the targets that the health service has signed up to. The leader of the opposition is right, accident and emergency departments end up dealing with failures in other parts of the system—less, I...
Mark Drakeford: Well, those concerns of the individual need to be taken up with the clinicians who are responsible for her care, because what the leader of the opposition has said would clearly be unacceptable, and those who were responsible need to be able to discuss with her how she now feels and what they can do to put that right. I am of course familiar, Llywydd, with the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I think it is better that I quote the words of the bereaved families themselves, so that there is no ambiguity in what I am saying. So, here is—. I'm quoting now directly from the press release that they issued on Tuesday of last week. They say that they firmly believe that a Wales-wide inquiry would be the best way to, 'achieve the scrutiny that Wales deserves'. That has always...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the nonsense that we are somehow—although we are on a very, very long list of other people the Prime Minister has identified as apparently not sharing her view of the world. The Welsh economy, in the figures that the Office for National Statistics published in September, grew faster last year than any other nation of the United Kingdom. So, by what possible yardstick the Prime...
Mark Drakeford: Diolch i Jane Dodds. On a very sobering day, it's utterly sobering to imagine that the people who manage on the very least in our society and see their bills going up all the time might be faced with their benefits not even being uprated in line with inflation, as was promised in the Conservative manifesto of 2019. I agree with Penny Mordaunt, who said that it would be unthinkable for that to...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, anything that I'm about to say, the Member can be sure, will be dwarfed by the impact of the cuts that we now know are coming our way. So, some sort of sober realism is required, even by Members on the Conservative benches. Now, as a result of the changes to the dental contract, changes that were, of course, opposed by Members on those benches, tens of thousands of new...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I thank Joyce Watson for that, and thank her for drawing attention to the fact that today is the day of the girl. The Welsh Government has played our part, alongside Governments around the globe in that. I'm very pleased indeed to let Members know that Jaime, who's been shadowing me over the last 24 hours, is in the gallery and will be watching our proceedings this afternoon....
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, no opportunity for discussion on this or any other matter has been forthcoming from the latest UK Prime Minister.
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, Peter Fox speaks always with authority in relation to local government, given his experience in leading a local authority. He will know what it must be like for a local authority leader to contemplate a 15 per cent reduction in their budgets. And he's right that there was a consequential from changes to stamp duty land tax in England. But what he won't have had a chance, I imagine,...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I give the Member an assurance that the Welsh Government will do everything within our powers to protect people in Blaenau Gwent and in other parts of Wales from the onslaught that is coming our way. Llywydd, I don't think it is possible to overstate the seriousness facing the UK economy today. Last night, the pound slipped further on international markets, and when the Bank of...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the UK Government’s policy of unfunded tax cuts for the rich will be paid for by people in Blaenau Gwent. They will be asked to cover the debts this reckless Government will rack up. Cuts to other essential public services will be the deliberate consequence of this economic catastrophe.
Mark Drakeford: COVID regulations have prevented other than essential visits to hospitals across Wales for nearly half my time as First Minister. These opportunities are now starting to resume. In a personal capacity, I have visited Welsh hospitals on a number of occasions over the same period.
Mark Drakeford: We will continue to support businesses to grow throughout Wales with our partners and stakeholders as set out in our regional economic frameworks.
Mark Drakeford: Degree apprenticeships are an important part of our skills and qualifications offer, designed to address key skills shortages and support employers to diversify their workforce. Our degree apprenticeship programme is fully funded and occupationally focused. A direct comparison with higher education participation is superficial.
Mark Drakeford: While we work closely with the police on matters relating to policing in Wales, firearms licensing is a reserved matter. The police are the licensing authority for firearms and use both local information and Home Office guidance to inform their judgment.
Mark Drakeford: I'm trying to explain to the Member that the issue that she's identified is a proper one; it deserves proper consideration and to not try to turn it into some form of foolish culture war. Because, underneath the headline, the picture is a good deal more complex than she suggested. Some subjects have more men studying them, some subjects have more women studying them; it depends what you count...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I deprecate the Member's willingness to turn every single issue, no matter how serious, into a form of culture war. There really is no need whatsoever to do that; it's a serious issue—it deserved a better question than you managed to provide this afternoon. And, as I said, behind the headlines of these figures is a great deal more complexity than the Member was prepared to...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, while headline data reveals a gender gap, these mask a more complex position at a subject level. This Government's commitment is to ensure that every person in Wales has high aspirations and a fair and equal opportunity to reach their fullest potential, through providing a series of different and accessible pathways to learning.
