Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:49 pm on 29 November 2017.
Nevertheless, her portfolio has suffered from the same 5 per cent cuts on local government grants, which have been recycled to help social services and health. She has confirmed, implicitly, that, in fact, her department has had the biggest cut of any department within the Welsh Government in this budget. We know that there are difficulties in the budget, but it's singular that this department has been singled out for that largest cut.
Now, the finance Secretary told the Finance Committee last week that £100 million that has been held back in reserves in anticipation of further efficiency cuts can now be made available, as these cuts are not now expected, following the budget last week. So, can I ask her, as the Cabinet Secretary: what is she bidding for out of this £100 million? Last year, with a bit of Plaid Cymru chivvying along, she got a bit of extra money for flood prevention schemes, as I recall. What is she looking to reinstate now to her budget?