Mark Reckless: Sorry, Llywydd. Am I saying: 'Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the outlook for teachers’ pay following the devolution of powers'? Or have we been there?
Mark Reckless: Yes. What, Cabinet Secretary, do you see as the key opportunities from the devolution of pay specifically? And how significantly do you expect the regime for pay to diverge from that in England, particularly in the early years?
Mark Reckless: 5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the outlook for teachers’ pay following the devolution of powers in this area? OAQ52764
Mark Reckless: Will the First Minister provide an update regarding the dualling of the Heads of the Valleys road?
Mark Reckless: Further, does the Cabinet Secretary recognise that it is rising residential values that will unlock many more sites in Newport and help house builders pay towards infrastructure, section 106 agreements and affordable housing? I would emphasise that house building does not just increase the amount and choice of housing available; it also drives economic growth, creates jobs and generates tax...
Mark Reckless: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm grateful to you and the Cabinet Secretary for facilitating this debate. On 17 December, tolls on the Severn bridges will be abolished. The economic geography of south Wales and the west of England will be revolutionised. Nowhere is better placed to reap the benefit than Newport. And ending the tolls is not the only change to our infrastructure that will...
Mark Reckless: It's in your budget for this year; you're relying on them.
Mark Reckless: One transaction.
Mark Reckless: Yes, well, the Cabinet Secretary is no doubt aware that the land transaction tax base is commercial property transactions, and, according to the CoStar review of commercial property investment for the second quarter, which, I understand, surveys all commercial transactions above that size and many more across the UK, the total amount of commercial property investment in Wales in the second...
Mark Reckless: 4. What effect has the 6 per cent land transaction tax rate had on tax revenue from commercial property transactions of over £1 million since April 2018? OAQ52724
Mark Reckless: I recall at committee stage discussing with the Cabinet Secretary when he'd be bringing forward regulations and the extent to which these would turn on questions of detail or be more substantive. I'm not quite sure which this falls into, but I've got a couple of questions for him. Firstly, has the Welsh Revenue Authority been disapplying or giving a relief in terms of tax to date in the...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, you spoke eloquently last week about the importance of Northern Ireland and its peace process for Brexit. Doesn't the European Commission proposing a border of any sort in the Irish sea act as a red rag to a bull for the unionist community in Northern Ireland? And shouldn't it instead apply its technical work for de-dramatising that proposed border to agreeing a free trade...
Mark Reckless: I'm pleased to hear that Welsh Government will at least be supporting work to see if we can secure funding for the transporter bridge, and I hope it may support it with its own funding, depending on how that work progresses. I wonder, therefore, if I could ask the First Minister whether he would also support the industrial heritage of Newport by funding an equally inspiring new bridge over...
Mark Reckless: 7. What is the Welsh Government's assessment of the impact of a customs or regulatory border in the Irish Sea? OAQ52750
Mark Reckless: Because you ignore what they tell you.
Mark Reckless: It could be resolved by doing what you said in 2016, First Minister, when you said that you respected the result of the referendum—that you accepted the decision made by the people and would not work against the referendum result. Even in March this year, you said, 'I am not questioning Brexit—the UK is leaving the EU.' Notwithstanding what you said before, isn't it clear, First Minister,...
Mark Reckless: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on whether the Welsh Government supports a further EU referendum? OAQ52696
Mark Reckless: I was delighted to see the Counsel General at the administrative justice workshop last week, not only for his own speech but staying on afterwards. It was very ably organised, I think, by Sarah Nason from Bangor University. As there is increasing divergence between our law in Wales and in England, it becomes increasingly important for Members to engage with that. I sought to found, and...
Mark Reckless: So, the current First Minister, who, to put it I hope not pejoratively, is on his way out, will be the decision maker, yet, whatever decision he takes, there'll then be a robust debate about his decision. Is it not the case, Cabinet Secretary—? You let the cat out of the bag earlier in response to Caroline Jones, when she asked would you assure her that south-west Wales would be getting as...
Mark Reckless: 6. Will the Welsh Government's decision regarding the M4 relief road be made under the current First Minister or his successor? OAQ52621
