Can I concur with the comments that Adam Price has made? Cabinet Secretary, as you know, the business-rates revaluation continues to be a source of immense concern for those businesses facing sizeable increases in their rateable value. This concern extends to the scheme of relief that the Welsh Government has decided upon and the transitional relief that we are voting on this afternoon.

I read through the explanatory memorandum, and the three options the Welsh Government considered are listed. Clearly, option 1—do nothing—was not a viable way forward; I think we all agree with you there. However, we did see some merit in option 3, making regulations based on the transitional relief scheme provided in England. The English scheme is self-financing, or supposed to be, anyway, and that could have been a basis for a scheme, but I understand you’ve not gone down that route. The idea of transferring funds from those who are going to see a reduction in their rates due to the revaluation to other areas where there’s going to be an increase we did think had merit and we’re sad that you dismissed that. However, as Adam Price has said, we do need to have a transitional rate relief scheme, and next April is now approaching very fast, and businesses would be more concerned by not having a scheme at all than having one that is flawed. I would point out, though, that these are potentially crushing increases in rates payable for some businesses—a minority of businesses, but, still, a significant number of businesses across Wales. We do urge the Welsh Government to look at providing additional support for those businesses before this kicks in next April.

We do have serious concerns about the approach that the Welsh Government has taken in this area, so we will be abstaining on these regulations today, but we do recognise that we need a transitional rate relief scheme, so we will not be blocking or attempting to block this going through. But we would urge you to look again at the system that is in place and to make sure that those businesses that are going to experience some of the worst rate increases do get the support that they need.