Rhun ap Iorwerth: I will speak briefly about why I believe this motion before us is a valuable one, and why we in Plaid Cymru have been able to come to an agreement on a form of words with the Government, even though there are differences between us on several elements of the Brexit debate. But I think that this is a significant step forward in terms of putting the Assembly’s stamp on the Brexit debate, even...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for taking an intervention. I understand why you're putting that spin on it, but isn't the effect of what you're saying that there is no deal as good as being a member of the European Union?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for taking an intervention, and it's to add to comments made by the Member for Blaenau Gwent sitting behind you, really. If it is genuinely a political ambition of yours to move towards the full devolution of the criminal justice system, no, you're not proposing to do it in a way that satisfies us in terms of the pace of change, but why not at this late stage decide to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Formally move.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Again, formally move.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response. I’ve just met senior officials locally and at a national level. I’m grateful to Welsh Government officials and Anglesey council officials for working with REHAU. It was an announcement that came from nowhere, if truth be told. It’s a company that’s operated in Amlwch for over 40 years. There is a productive and loyal workforce there. It’s a company...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: There is one major event in the pipeline for us on Ynys Môn—the opportunity to stage the Island Games in 2025. The executive committee of the Island Games internationally has been very supportive of our plans and I’m very grateful to them for that, and we will be submitting our final bid in a matter of weeks, so this is a crucial time. We’re extremely grateful for the support that’s...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We know that transport infrastructure spending in Wales is way behind the curve, compared certainly with the south-east of England and the London area, and, in fact, if capital spend here in Wales had kept pace with capital spend per head in the south-east of England and London, an additional £5.6 billion would have been spent here in Wales over the past 20 years. Now, I see that as £5.6...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: An answer has been given to my parliamentary colleague, Jonathan Edwards MP, who asked a very similar question to mine of the UK Government. He received this response: 'As the Government is providing a loan to the GLA, this is being treated as a long-term reprofiling of DfT’s budget. The Devolved Administrations...have been offered Barnett consequentials of the DfT reprofile and it is up to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. On the eleventh of this month, the Minister answered two written questions tabled by me on Barnett consequentials for Wales as a result of the 10 December funding package for the Crossrail project. I was told that discussions are ongoing between Welsh Government officials and UK Government officials. Is there any update from the Government on those negotiations?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's actions following REHAU Ltd.'s decision to consult on the future of its factory in Amlwch? 273
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I lose count of how many times warnings have been sounded in this Chamber about the real uncertainties that face us from any kind of Brexit, and the huge risks that are in front of us should there be a very hard or even a 'no deal' departure from the European Union. It's important that we remember the context in which this debate takes place today and what is happening down the M4 in the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The First Minister will be aware that I am very supportive of dualling the Britannia crossing between the mainland and Anglesey, and I’m grateful for the support that the Welsh Government has shown for that proposal. Does the First Minister agree with me that the most recent announcement on the suspension of the Wylfa Newydd project strengthens rather than weakens the argument for dualling...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will the First Minister make an statement on REHAU’s announcement regarding the future of its Amlwch factory?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Just in order to say again what I said in my speech earlier—that we weren't opposing this because we wanted to increase taxes, but that we wanted to give Governments the flexibility to be creative for the good of the Welsh people, in whatever way that may be. You never know what crisis might come ahead of us because of Brexit, for example, in the next few years.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an amendment—an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: If I can refer to the issue of raising taxes, which you mentioned. Raising taxes means to bring in taxes, of course, but all too often it's thought of as 'raising'—putting them up. Now, there are arguments for putting taxes up, and there are arguments, as we've heard from Nick Ramsay, on putting taxes down. What I want people to see in Wales in future, as we develop a tax system, is that...
