Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate today. Obviously, I disagree with almost every word that the previous speaker said, but perhaps that won’t be a great deal of surprise. I move formally the amendment tabled in the name of Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The fact, of course, that we are talking about taxation policy in Wales is a huge step for us as a nation after 800 years without the right to raise taxes at all, and it won’t be news for the UKIP speaker, and I’m sure that he is not surprised, that almost every time now we put forward an amendment that deletes every word in the original motion. But that’s a reflection of the fact that we come from very different parts of the political spectrum and that we have different political ideals as well.

In the first instance, Plaid Cymru has been of the opinion that devolution of taxation strengthens democracy, because now the Welsh Government has to consider the fiscal results and economic results of its own policies and its own legislation, because it now has responsibility for some of the taxes that are placed on people in Wales. This is of benefit to the people of Wales and it places more responsibility and accountability on the Government here.

More generally, Plaid Cymru sees fiscal policy with regard to taxation as a way of creating a business environment that can lead to sustainable growth and a way of creating change in personal behaviour, which is beneficial for such things as health and in getting to grips with climate change, and importantly as a way of raising funds to invest in our people and in our public services. Of course, for me, as someone who wants to see Wales as an independent nation, it’s vital that we get to grips with the fiscal health of our own nation—not just because of constitutional aims, but to create vibrant and viable public services and communities.

In our amendment today, we welcome the Welsh Government’s consultation on the possibility of introducing new taxes that can support policies with regard to the environment, health and social issues. We of course particularly welcome the fact that the consultation considers the possibility of a tax on disposable plastics, which is a Plaid Cymru manifesto promise, and we hope that this will be introduced ultimately.

Of course, we’ve already put forward a tax on sugary drinks, which is something that, at the time, faced opposition from a number of parties in this Chamber, if I remember rightly, but which now is something that is welcomed and supported by everyone, as if they always had supported it. But, regardless, we do welcome the fact that there was support, ultimately.

We would reiterate our call for the devolution of corporation tax and air passenger duty. These are vital to the economic future of Wales, and there’s no reason for the Westminster Government to refuse to transfer them to Wales, especially as we consider the fiscal powers of the two other devolved nations. It’s not fair that the Westminster Government has the right to give a fiscal advantage in terms of taxes and the economy to nations as it sees fit. It’s up to the people and the Government of Wales and the Assembly of Wales to decide on the powers that we want in order to improve the lives of people in this country.

To conclude, Deputy Presiding Officer, I’d also like to take this opportunity to underline the importance of this institution and the Government ensuring that there is an awareness and an interest among the people of Wales in fiscal issues affecting the nation. Because, as we are now pursuing this idea of being a more normal nation that has taxation powers, we need to change how we undertake business here. We’ve seen today how much of a political occasion in terms of the news that the budget day for the United Kingdom is, with huge scrutiny and the public very aware of the importance of the statement made in Westminster. We need to ensure that there is a similar process here to raise awareness among the citizens of Wales about the decisions that are made—the fiscal decisions that are made—that will affect them, and also to convey the level of importance that exists in the national budget for Wales.