Rebecca Evans: I have regular discussions with the Minister for Housing and Local Government, covering a range of matters within her portfolio, including those relating to empty houses. This includes investment in our property loans programme, targeted regeneration investment through our empty property thematic fund, and our town centre loan fund.
Rebecca Evans: I do think that any decisions should obviously be based on the best possible evidence, and this is one of the areas that we can explore in further detail in Finance Committee tomorrow, where I'll be giving evidence on what the potential impact might be of different exchange rates over the side of borders in the UK. But of course, we don't have much or any evidence, really, within the UK at...
Rebecca Evans: Welsh rates of income tax of 10p per band were introduced last year and apply to income tax payers resident in Wales. On 3 March, the Assembly voted by 43 to one in support of Wales's rates remaining unchanged in 2020-21.
Rebecca Evans: The static costing of a potential rate change is relatively straightforward. For illustrative purposes, a 1p increase or reduction across all three bands in 2020-21, or in a future Assembly, would increase or reduce revenues by approximately £220 million, with the vast majority of revenues, of course, being generated through the basic rate. So, that would be the effect of a 1p change. I...
Rebecca Evans: We have raised our position of 'not a penny less, not a power lost' with the UK Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Wales and other UK Ministers. Yet, with10 months until EU funding tails off, there is still no clarity on its proposals.
Rebecca Evans: The Welsh Government ensures that all loans are regularly monitored to assess progress against their original application. A full evaluation is held following completion to ensure value for money has been obtained. We continue to explore how monitoring arrangements can be improved from previous successful applications.
Rebecca Evans: The chief digital officer's role is to deliver the Welsh Government's agenda for digital, data and technology. The role provides leadership across the organisation to ensure the effective delivery of digital and technology transformation, cross-Government working on data issues, and growing staff skills in digital and data.
Rebecca Evans: Health boards are working with partners throughout the clusters to adopt and adapt the primary care model for Wales, with its focus on support for self-care and delivering a seamless 24/7 service that prioritises the sickest people, making effective use of the multiprofessional workforce. And of course, this year, the Welsh Government has provided an additional £10 million for clusters to...
Rebecca Evans: Again, I would highlight the important potential of Flood Re as a potential way forward for people who have found it difficult to get flooding insurance because either they've been flooded in the past and the insurers won't take them on, or because they're on a property that is deemed to be at risk of flooding. It is a Government and industry partnership in order to deliver that, to ensure...
Rebecca Evans: Llywydd, the Minister is obviously here to hear your request this afternoon. I only have the information in terms of what's been laid on the business statement and announcement today, but we will certainly be listening to the request that you've made this afternoon.
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful to Mark Isherwood for raising those issues. The first was the issue of prostate cancer and those MRI tests. I know that there is an intention by the health Minister to bring forward a statement in due course on the cancer strategy, and there'll also be an opportunity to raise issues tomorrow with the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services during the cancer debate. So,...
Rebecca Evans: As the First Minister set out in First Minister's questions earlier on, our first actions have been about giving that initial and immediate response to the impacted households, businesses and communities. But, as we look forward and have the opportunity to reflect on the flooding, there will be these larger questions that we need to explore. With regard to insurance, there is a scheme called...
Rebecca Evans: Again, thank you to Dai Lloyd for raising this particular issue. I will certainly explore it myself to better understand the issue. I know that you'll also be making those important representations to the Home Office in respect of their deportation processes and so on, but I'll certainly gather some further information.
Rebecca Evans: Okay. So, this is an important issue that the leader of the opposition also had the opportunity to question the First Minister about during First Minister's questions this afternoon, but I will be sure to have this discussion with my colleague the Minister for economy and transport, because the response to coronavirus is very much a cross-Government response and, equally, it's something that...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Jayne Bryant for raising her constituent's particular concerns regarding the case of planning permission that you've described, and the issues particularly affecting new build. The Minister with responsibility for planning was here to hear those concerns, and it would be helpful if you could write to the Minister with some further details on the specific case to which you refer...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Leanne Wood for raising those specific issues of casework that she's received from people affected directly by the flooding, and then that overarching concern about blocked culverts. I will ask Welsh Government officials to speak to Rhondda Cynon Taf council on those issues that you've raised, because, in the first instance, they are matters for the council, but it'd be very...
Rebecca Evans: Before I respond to Mohammad Asghar, I probably should set out that there are several changes to this week's business. This week's oral questions—
Rebecca Evans: That's all right. This week's oral questions to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition in respect of his law officer responsibilities will take place tomorrow. The Minister for Health and Social Services will make a statement shortly on coronavirus, COVID-19 update. As a result, the statement on International Women's Day will issue as a written statement. Finally, as a...
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful for the contributions from the two members of the Finance Committee and, again, I'm grateful for the work of the Finance Committee and I look forward to responding in some detail to those recommendations and accepting them. One of the recommendations was about making detail available as soon as possible following the March UK budget in terms of any impacts on the Welsh...
Rebecca Evans: This budget provides a final opportunity to amend plans for the current financial year, allowing the revision of the previously approved financing and expenditure plans, reprioritisations within portfolios, budget transfers between portfolios, and allocations from reserves. It aligns resources with the Government's priorities. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 continues to...
