Mark Reckless: Who is it?
Mark Reckless: Members have recently received notification from the board of a new investment allocation where, instead of one portfolio manager—I think, sensibly—we've moved towards a handful of different portfolio managers. However, I would query the decision in the allocation to invest over a tenth of the pension fund in index-linked gilts, which currently guarantees that, over the term of...
Mark Reckless: I'm amazed the Cabinet Secretary should absolve the EU of all responsibility for the horse meat scandal. Extraordinarily, he describes Jenny Rathbone as 'absolutely right' when she refers to us having to impose tariffs, but, Cabinet Secretary, isn't it a choice for this country whether we impose tariffs? Given that we've had a free trade area with the EU, we could maintain that unilaterally...
Mark Reckless: 4. Will the Commissioner make a statement on the new investment allocation for the Assembly Member pension scheme? OAQ52338
Mark Reckless: Isn't it the reality that there was no discussion of the customs union because the EU was set up as a customs union? It was taken as a given that leaving the EU meant leaving the customs union, and when the single market became part of the campaign, the 'Leave' campaign and particularly Michael Gove were absolutely clear that voting to leave meant leaving the single market, as well as the...
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way? [Inaudible.]—says he wants a good deal, but he says he cannot conceive, under any circumstances, walking away. How could any business negotiate with another business in his constituency and hope to get a good deal if the other side knows they'll accept what they're given, whatever?
Mark Reckless: Would the Member give way? Our efforts have been deployed in getting a fiscal agreement where we are currently getting £1.20 of Government spending in Wales compared to £1 in England. Now, I'll ask her: does she think spending more than £600 less per pupil in Wales than in England is right or something she and her Government are proud of?
Mark Reckless: Well, the fact is that, overall, there is 20 per cent more spending in Wales and that has been secured under a fiscal construct agreed by the Westminster Government. If you want to compare spending levels in Wales and England, the big difference is—and we heard some of this earlier—that local government does have higher allocations in Wales—I'd question how efficiently that money is...
Mark Reckless: Of course I will.
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendment in the name of Paul Davies. I also complement Plaid on their motion, with which we agree. I’ll ask them to understand that our only reason for voting otherwise will be to ensure a vote on our own amendment. The school funding crisis in Wales is severe. NASUWT Wales calculates that there is now a £678 funding gap per pupil between England and Wales. We...
Mark Reckless: Diolch, Llywydd. In wanting to devolve policing to Wales, does the Cabinet Secretary nonetheless support the continuation of the elected police and crime commissioner model? He rightly here commends Gwent Police and Jeff Cuthbert for this particular scheme, but does he recognise that the elected and accountable nature of that role is crucial for that public engagement?
Mark Reckless: I thank the First Minister for his statement. Of course, it would be for the UK Government to decide what, if any, restrictions or customs it wanted to put—or not put—on goods coming into the country, but, First Minister, you made it clear earlier that your Government still supports staying in a customs union with the EU, and staying in the single market. Previously, you have suggested...
Mark Reckless: I welcome the new contracts and particularly the long overdue new rolling stock for the Valleys lines, but also the reduction in fares for the upper Valleys, which will help many people get more opportunities to commute in and access jobs, particularly in Cardiff. Could I just ask the First Minister to say something about the risks that may come from the contract in terms of the different...
Mark Reckless: But some of the benefits are likely to be seen in the early years at school if there are reliable benefits, and I think getting it into the SAIL system will improve the opportunities for researchers very clearly. But Welsh Government has spent £600 million on this in the last 11 years and describes it as a flagship programme. Given that scale of investment, the level of assessment and...
Mark Reckless: I congratulate the Chair on her exemplary introduction to the report, making clear what the policy background is to the area before moving too quickly to the areas of controversy and recommendation. Thank you. I would like to initially say that the trade-off between a universal programme and a targeted programme is one that the Assembly has discussed in many other areas—quite recently, in...
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way?
Mark Reckless: Is he aware that this would be far easier to implement on the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland border than it is in Switzerland? The Member mentioned that 10 times the volume of people cross the Swiss border, but, in terms of goods, the figure is around one hundredth of the amount of goods crossing the Northern Ireland border as crosses that Swiss border.
Mark Reckless: Will the First Minister make a statement on the balance between public and private investment in Newport?
Mark Reckless: Leader of the house, Newport has been attracting investment into the digital sector and is keen to attract significantly more with support from Welsh Government. You mentioned the software academy and the potential of degree-level qualifications. Does there also need to be even more emphasis on training for people who are in, perhaps, lower paid jobs at the moment, and are part-time, so that...
Mark Reckless: Thank you. He said that the alternative was to go back to the unsatisfactory draft of the Bill before, but is it not the case that, actually, his Government has protected the Scottish people and their devolution settlement, and that it's his negotiation of what he's agreed for Wales that will now apply to Scotland, even though Nicola Sturgeon has not done the sensible thing that his...
