2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 28 November 2017.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Andrew RT Davies Andrew RT Davies Conservative 2:21, 28 November 2017

Leader of the house, could I seek two statements from you, please? One is a statement from the Minister for economy and transport in relation to the potential overspend that was identified in his written statement yesterday of in excess of £50 million for the Heads of the Valleys road, on the stage that they're doing at the moment on the eastern edge, and the implications that that overspend could have on his budget for projects around the rest of Wales, because £50 million plus is a significant capital expenditure, which I presume hasn't been budgeted for, but will have implications on that budget, and it's important that we, as Assembly Members, when we're pressed in our own communities about the likely impact, can have answers to that. In an ideal world, it would be good to have an oral statement, if that was possible, because, to date, the inquiry, and the overspend, that the Minister commissioned have all been dealt with via written statements and there's been no opportunity to question the Minister on the floor of the Plenary here, so I'd hope that you would seek an oral statement on behalf of Members from the Minister before the Christmas recess.

Secondly, at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair yesterday—I know the Cabinet Secretary and other Members of the Government were there seeing the best of Welsh agriculture and the best of the rural economy. A comment that comes over time and time again—and, in fairness, I know the Minister has made progress on this—is around bureaucracy and red tape in the agricultural sector. But there is a perception, and in some instances a reality, that there is a considerable amount of that in certain Government-backed schemes. Could we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary as to what measures have been brought forward by the Government over the last 16 months since the election to try and dispel some of those myths that exist, and actually where the reality is to get on top of some of the red tape that stops applications coming forward and makes it a bureaucratic nightmare for some applicants? Because I know that's not the intention of the schemes, but, again, there is this reality and perception in some cases that people feel that it is hugely cumbersome to apply for some of these grants.