Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Could I begin by, obviously, passing on our deepest condolence to Julie, who joins us here today, and the rest of her family, who I believe are in the gallery, from the Conservative group and from my good self personally. I well remember the first time—and I made this comment last week— when I first met Rhodri and he was busily barricading his garden to try...
Andrew RT Davies: As per usual, you cut off the quote, and she went on to say what a good job I’m doing [Laughter.] But, if you look at what the offer is on 8 June, it is an offer from the Welsh Conservatives today to abolish Severn bridge tolls and actually deliver a shot in the arm of £100 million to the Welsh economy. A £100 million against the fiscal illiteracy that we see coming out of Labour that I...
Andrew RT Davies: Giving a straight answer, First Minister, is most probably not your strongest card to stand on, to be fair, as anyone who’s asked you a question in this Chamber could attest to. But, in the manifesto that the Labour Party brought forward today, it talks of abolishing tuition fees, but yet your education Cabinet Secretary said last week that, actually, it’s not tuition fees that are the...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Could I just welcome back the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs, who makes a welcome return to the Chamber? I wish you well, hopefully, in getting over the recent fall that you had, Cabinet Secretary. First Minister, you said at the end of April that Jeremy Corbyn needed to prove himself if he were to become the Prime Minister at the end of this general...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the Cabinet Secretary give way?
Andrew RT Davies: I do find that ironic. One minute you’re slating us for austerity, the next minute you’re saying we’re borrowing too much, you are, then then, but we heard from the principal Plaid Cymru speaker of a Wales that doesn’t bear any resemblance to the Wales that you were drawing on, Cabinet Secretary. Who’s right? You or him?
Andrew RT Davies: I’d be grateful if you could—because you’ve obviously researched this—name one financier, one person who understands public debt, who would back this policy of putting another £500 billion on the credit card of the United Kingdom. I heard what the Cabinet Secretary said and the IMF do not support that policy.
Andrew RT Davies: When you look at what is coming from the European Commission, a negotiation is of two parties negotiating to their best advantage. It is a fact that the EU as it currently stands has 27 members in those negotiations. We are on the other side of that table. They are of course going to galvanise around a negotiating position. Who do you want negotiating that strategy on behalf of Britain? Do...
Andrew RT Davies: There is only one coalition of chaos on the ballot paper for June 8, Mike, as well you know, and that is the coalition of chaos that would be led by Jeremy Corbyn and the devastating consequences, economically and for the future of the United Kingdom. And, of course, you are part of a coalition with the nationalists and with the Liberal Democrats, as we’ve seen, since last May. There is a...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I formally move the motion on the order paper in the name of Paul Davies, which focuses on the strong and stable leadership that this country needs to continue its economic prosperity; regrets the First Minister’s public endorsement around borrowing on the nation’s credit card an additional £500 billion, which would endanger the future of the Welsh...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, if I can deal with the amendments first, Mike, and I will gladly take the—. I was just merely reading what was on the order paper at that stage, to be honest, with a few soundbites. The amendments, we will not be accepting, as is not surprising. The Government’s ‘delete all’ amendment really does call into question who wrote that amendment, to be honest with you, because,...
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, I’m sure you’ll join with me in congratulating the many local councillors who’ve been elected across the length and breadth of Wales, but in particular the ones who have been elected in the Vale of Glamorgan, and in particular from the Conservatives, who now make us the biggest group on that particular council, and, hopefully, looking forward to an exciting five...
Andrew RT Davies: I’m really disappointed you’re not prepared to give some firm indications of when that report will be available. As I said, this isn’t a politician who’s saying this report should be made available; this is the head of the community health council in north Wales, along with family members and clinicians. So, I’d be grateful, if you’re not in a position to give an indication of the...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, the head of the community health council believes that it is appropriate, and, to use his words, so that ‘It may stop this practice elsewhere’. We know that report is available; it has been concluded. You are spending £5 million a year additionally running Betsi Cadwaldr because it’s in special measures, so you are responsible. When families and concerned clinicians want to see...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Last week in the news, First Minister, there were some serious concerns raised about the Tawel Fan report and the progress being made on the reporting system around the Tawel Fan ‘disaster’—I’d call it—where people were actually, as the previous report talked about, being treated like animals, and other shocking revelations. Families were showing real...
Andrew RT Davies: Obviously, with the local government elections tomorrow, Cabinet Secretary, I very much hope that people will vote Conservative. You will say you very much hope people will vote Labour. But what we do know is what is on the table is a city deal that does need, obviously, all partners working to make sure it is delivered, and, in particular, around the transport solutions that, hopefully, will...
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, could we have a statement, please—and I think that you are deputising in the absence of the Cabinet Secretary for rural affairs—on the way that the basic payments scheme is delivered in Wales? I do declare an interest, as a partner in a farming business in the Vale of Glamorgan. There have been huge concerns, not just in the Vale of Glamorgan but across Wales, where...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, the auditor general was very specific in what he was looking at, which was this tranche of money that Welsh Government has spent to date: £9.3 million. In anyone’s book, that’s a pretty significant sum of money. No-one is disputing that, potentially, the overall scheme could have a massive impact of regeneration. But you are accountable for the way money is allocated....
Andrew RT Davies: That is the most bizarre answer in six years that I’ve stood here I’ve received from you, First Minister. I asked you a simple question about Welsh Government money that was used to buy a motorcycle firm in Buckinghamshire that went bankrupt—£300,000 that the auditor general, in a report that he released last week—. And you've called for questions that are relevant to you in your...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I first of all welcome the new clerk to the Assembly? This is her first First Minister’s questions, and I look forward to working with you over the coming months and years that you fill the role that was so admirably done by Claire Clancy. First Minister, you have just said that you want questions asked of you that are relevant to this place, and I do want...
