Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd, and I thank Members for their interest and their contributions today, and it's very clear the respect that we all have for the work of the police and what they do in our communities across Wales, clearly being an absolutely key part of our public service family, working with health boards, local councils and other partners. I'll respond to some of the specific points...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. Today I'm presenting to this Senedd, for its approval, details of the Welsh Government's contribution to the core revenue funding for the four police and crime commissioners in Wales for 2022-23. First, and particularly given the events of the past two years, I'd like to record my gratitude to the police for the role they've played in keep our communities safe whilst...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm grateful to the Welsh Conservatives spokesperson for confirming the Welsh Conservatives support of the regulations today. Of course, the spokesperson doesn't, in his contribution, mention the Welsh Government's permanent small business rates relief scheme, which, of course, supports tens of thousands of businesses across Wales with their rates, with many paying no rates...
Rebecca Evans: I move the motion to approve the Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Regulations 2022. These regulations set the multiplier for non-domestic rating purposes for 2022-23. In 2017, the Welsh Government set out its intention to change the measure of inflation used to calculate the multiplier in Wales from the retail price index to the consumer price index from 1 April 2018. This has...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much to Sam Rowlands for his contribution in the debate today, and for confirming that the Welsh Conservatives will be taking a pragmatic approach to the regulations, given that we're not having the debate today about the desirability of CJCs, but responding to a request from one CJC, the south-east Wales CJC, to change the date of commencement. So, grateful for the pragmatic...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion. In March 2021 the Senedd approved the regulations establishing four new corporate joint committees, or CJCs, in Wales. This included the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee Regulations 2021, which established the south-east Wales CJC. Members will be aware that the establishment regulations set out the core functions that the CJCs will be delivering....
Rebecca Evans: —but I just want to really conclude by again pointing to the cost-of-living announcements that I'll be making as soon as I possibly can in respect of how Welsh Government will continue to support those individuals affected by it. And also, to thank again the committees for the work that's been done in scrutiny and to point to the fact that my colleagues and I will be responding to many of...
Rebecca Evans: And, again, we're taking a different approach in respect of our approach to reserves. So, as part of the multi-year budget, we have a new fiscal strategy to maximise the available funding on the resource side. Unlike in previous years when spending plans have fully utilised the £125 million annual drawdown limit, our plans don't assume the full drawdown limit from the Welsh reserve from...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, and thank you to all colleagues for what I think has been a really, really useful debate. And there have been some incredibly constructive contributions, which I know that I and my ministerial colleagues, who will have been listening carefully, will be reflecting on as we move towards the final budget and move towards further decisions that we need to take in respect of supporting...
Rebecca Evans: We also recognise the need to look to the longer term to ensure that we leave behind us a sustainable Wales for future generations. We have acted now to address the urgent need to respond to the climate and nature emergency. Our preparations have been guided by supporting Wales's path to recovery, ensuring that a stronger Wales emerges from the pandemic, and one that continues to value...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. I'm pleased to open this debate this afternoon on the Welsh Government's draft budget for 2022-23. Since we first had the opportunity to debate this draft budget in the Senedd, the Finance Committee and the other Senedd committees have scrutinised our spending plans. Before I provide some early reflections on the key themes arising from the scrutiny, I'd like to reflect on the...
Rebecca Evans: We haven't cancelled projects; we're pausing projects so that they can be reviewed. And I think it's only right that the roads review panel is allowed to do its work. I mean, we clearly still recognise the importance of transport in our budget, because over the next three years, we are investing close to £1.4 billion and that includes £0.75 billion for rail and bus provision, including the...
Rebecca Evans: As part of the significant transport investments we are making, we have provided £1.6 billion of capital to deliver improvements in transport infrastructure over the next three years. Our new Wales infrastructure investment strategy also reflects our approach to transport improvements across Wales, set out in 'Llwybr Newydd'.
Rebecca Evans: Well, Welsh Government has been pleased, in recent years, to be able to provide additional funding to local government in respect of the pressures relating to teachers' pay, but actually, that way of working hasn't been a satisfactory one. And it does mean that, when you look at—. Well, what I've said a couple of times in the course of questions today is that we've allocated all of the...
Rebecca Evans: Yes. For 2022-23, the Isle of Anglesey will receive a 9.2 per cent increase in its core settlement allocations. This is the authority's largest increase since the start of devolution. In addition, the authority will receive its share of £1.1 billion from specific revenue grants.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for that, and also for giving me the chance, like you, to echo our thanks to RCT and other councils across Wales who worked so hard to get that funding into the bank accounts of businesses as swiftly and as smoothly as possible. I think that they've done incredible work, especially alongside all the other things that we're asking them to do in terms of self-isolation...
Rebecca Evans: Since the start of the pandemic, we've used every lever at our disposal to support Welsh businesses, providing more than £2.8 billion and safeguarding over 160,000 Welsh jobs. We will continue to support the sectors most directly impacted, including through our £116 million retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief scheme.
Rebecca Evans: I think the beginning of the question there was set on a premise that the evidence just doesn't support. So, there's no evidence to support that tourism levies are a major barrier to tourism. Why would most of northern Europe be having tourism levies if they were such a detriment? Why would some of the biggest tourist hotspots in the world be having tourism levies if they were not successful...
Rebecca Evans: Yes, definitely. So, for those authorities that do decide that they would like to raise a visitor levy, it will obviously provide them with additional revenue for their communities to invest in the conditions that make tourism a success, and I think that a proportionate and fair contribution from visitors will support a more sustainable approach to tourism that we have here in Wales. And of...
Rebecca Evans: Yes. Policy development has commenced and discussions are under way with local authorities. A consultation will take place in autumn this year, enabling all views to be considered on the operation of a visitor levy.
