Nick Ramsay: I thank you for giving way, Minister. I recognise that there has been a level of support, over and above what was promised last year, and we do welcome that. But there are other businesses that have fallen through the net, besides those you’ve mentioned, so could your Welsh Government look again at the schemes in place?
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, acting Deputy Presiding—Chair, I think is probably easier. I’m pleased to move the amendments today in the name of Paul Davies. Can I firstly welcome the UK Government’s willingness to devolve business rates to the Welsh Government? We certainly in the Welsh Conservatives believe that that was a step in the right direction. Yes, we did have a certain amount of control over...
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for giving way. I fully support you, Cabinet Secretary, on the metro. I wonder if any more thought or discussions have been had over the potential of a metro hub at the Celtic Manor. I’ve raised this with you many times before and think it would be a good development in the metro network.
Nick Ramsay: I look forward to travelling on ‘Skates Air’. I think there’s probably a niche in the market for you there, Ken. [Laughter.] You’ve put me off my train of thought now. It’s clearly been disappointing, Cabinet Secretary, that air passenger duty hasn’t been devolved to this place, and before you say, ‘Well, it’s your Government’, I’m aware of that, and we will continue to...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the impact of the abolition of the Severn bridge tolls on traffic levels on the M4?
Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister make a statement on levels of funding for local authority services in Monmouthshire?
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, would you take an intervention?
Nick Ramsay: I hear what you’re saying about talking about just exploration of a tourism tax at this point in time, however, do you recognise that there is a danger that a perception will go out that there is a tax on tourists coming to Wales that doesn’t exist across the border in England? In areas like my own, along the border areas, we need to guard against that sort of perception going out. So, I...
Nick Ramsay: Yes, I give way.
Nick Ramsay: It’s always nice to hear the—[Interruption.] I’m not sure—[Interruption.] I’m not sure—[Interruption.] I’m not sure whether that’s a Plaid comment—
Nick Ramsay: [Continues.]—or a comment from the Chair of the Finance Committee.
Nick Ramsay: Thank you. If I could turn to some of the specifics and our national health service, the NHS is a key priority for the people of Wales and Welsh Conservatives believe that it should be our key priority too. We are, of course, still playing catch up because of the lack of real-terms budget protection over a number of years, but we are where we are. The ‘Prosperity for All’ document states...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, thank you for your statement on the draft budget and for the meeting you had with me earlier today. Can I also welcome the new way of doing the budget, with the changes that have been made to the format of this statement today and paving the way for tax devolution next year? This has been a key call from the Finance Committee, and from the Chair of the Finance Committee,...
Nick Ramsay: I seem to remember a lot of time being spent by certain members of the last Labour UK Government on a tidal barrage, and certainly there were people talking about tidal lagoons back at that time. But, nonetheless, we are where we are; we have to move forward. Our debate today is simply noting that the Welsh Government’s national strategy, ‘Prosperity for All’, is with us. I notice that...
Nick Ramsay: Have I got time to give way briefly to Mike Hedges?
Nick Ramsay: What’s that supposed to mean? [Laughter.] Thank you for that warm introduction. [Laughter.] I’ve had worse. [Laughter.] Could I first of all just start by thanking everyone who contributed to today’s debate this afternoon? I’ve got to say, I did particularly enjoy the response of the First Minister, a response mainly directed at Janet Finch-Saunders—well, for the first five minutes...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for giving way, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll probably recall that yesterday, in the business statement, I raised the issue of the rolling stock. I know it’s secondary to the core of this report, but would you agree with me that it’s important, at the earliest opportunity, for the Welsh Government to engage with the franchise, with the new franchise holder, to make sure that that...
Nick Ramsay: As you know, Cabinet Secretary, some of us on the Finance Committee, and indeed other Members of the Chamber in general, did feel that there was a very strong argument at the time for having the tax rates and bands on the face of the Bill, but your commitment at Stage 2 to publish the rates well in advance of April went a long way to allaying these concerns—a commitment that you repeated on...
Nick Ramsay: I think the Cabinet Secretary knows where I’m coming from on this, because I’ve checked the Welsh Government website page, which you may or may not be aware of, in regard to LTT, which says that the rates and bands will be announced, or were due to be announced, by the end of this month, by October 2017. So, there is not much time left for that announcement. If the information isn’t...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, this year’s Welsh Government budget represents a milestone in this the twentieth year of devolution. It’s the first budget that will cover a period that will include tax devolution, of land transaction tax and land disposals tax in the first instance, kicking off from April next year. I know that you’ve been heavily involved with...
