Mark Reckless: First Minister, may I thank you for your statement and also thank you for the continuing extraordinary hard work that you've been putting in? We've been on recess—I suspect you're not going to have the chance to get away on holiday like, perhaps, some others may—and I know your workload has been extraordinary. So, thank you for that. You were speaking about the aim of the regulations. At...
Mark Reckless: Thank you, sir—a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, David Melding. First Minister, thank you for your statement. Thank you very, very much for stating that the Brexit debate is over, but it's very important to bring what is necessary onto the statue book in an orderly and effective manner. I strongly agree, and I think there was an apparent invitation to support or at least be...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, you've overseen a significantly higher COVID-19 infection rate in Wales than in the rest of the United Kingdom, as well as a worse economic situation. Despite this, you've found time to lambast the UK Government over its Brexit responsibilities, twice using the crisis to demand they extend the transition period, as you've once again tried to block Brexit. Now, we see your...
Mark Reckless: In many areas, First Minister, you've understandably made commitments as a Government that it has not been possible to carry through or that have had to be delayed because of the COVID crisis. I merely suggest that you allow and accept that similar pressures affect the UK Government. Wales voted for Brexit. You put forward your proposals on the area at the general election, and there's now a...
Mark Reckless: Thank you, Minister, very much for your statement. I think, within my group, there is a degree of scepticism around the new curriculum, but I think the passion with which the Minister speaks—we wish to remain engaged in the debate and we haven't, at this stage, decided to oppose it. We'd like to see the Bill in more detail and benefit further from discussions with the Minister. She says...
Mark Reckless: So, the First Minister is content with that scrutiny—four Labour voices, no opposition voices? And it is far from the only example. If one depends on one's news on BBC Wales, and many of the organisations funded by Welsh Government to provide news, one would have the impression that, under our great helmsman, Mark Drakeford, there has been a great success in management of the COVID crisis...
Mark Reckless: First Minister, do you consider it satisfactory that this Senedd, operating under Welsh Government guidance, should just have two opportunities to question you in person over a period of six months? Do you prefer to have scrutiny through daily press conferences, broadcast live, with no opportunity for opposition reply? With many of those media outlets financially dependent on the Welsh...
Mark Reckless: Abstain.
Mark Reckless: In favour.
Mark Reckless: In favour.
Mark Reckless: Abstain.
Mark Reckless: In favour.
Mark Reckless: Abstain.
Mark Reckless: Abstain.
Mark Reckless: Against.
Mark Reckless: We all support the furlough, job retention scheme, at least as it has operated to date. Can I ask the finance Minister to clarify the Welsh Government's position on any potential continuance? The scheme was brought in initially for a few months to ensure people didn't lose jobs, remained in contact with their employer in that contractual relationship, so that the economy could quickly...
Mark Reckless: Will the finance Minister make a statement on her latest assessment of the amount of tax revenue that we will lose by having a longer and stricter lockdown in Wales than the UK Government has been applying in England, and could she clarify what level of transitional protection we have over revenues to the Welsh Treasury from land transaction tax and the Welsh rates of income tax, and also...
Mark Reckless: The First Minister speaks of social partnership, but an impression many parents have got over the last month or two is that, with powers split between Welsh Government, councils and schools themselves, the teaching unions may have been too dominant an aspect of that partnership. When you, First Minister, spoke about even giving consideration to schools coming back after half term, you quickly...
Mark Reckless: May I congratulate all the children who are back in school in Wales this week, even if it is part time, and all those who have worked so hard to get them back, not least your education Secretary, Kirsty Williams? I would have liked more children to have returned earlier, but I do not want to criticise the Welsh Government, cavil with what is happening versus what was promised, or make...
Mark Reckless: Against.
