Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:21 pm on 12 June 2018.
Thank you very much for your responses and your comments on this amendment. I think that, in my opening remarks, I did say that we had been unable to do what we truly wanted to here, but that we did feel that it was very important to bring forward an amendment that would keep this issue alive into the future. It doesn't surprise me, in a way, that you, as other parties, have been able to find weaknesses in the way that we brought forward this amendment, because this is an issue that it isn't easy to find a solution for. Nonetheless, we will push it to a vote, and during that vote we will show how determined we are as a party to keep the pressure on, to seek and find a process in the future, with, hopefully, additional powers coming to this place, where we can draw money into the Welsh Treasury to spend on health measures and to address alcoholism and problems with drinking.
May I express my appreciation that the Cabinet Secretary himself does see a benefit in trying to draw in this money? The way that he wishes to look into it is to develop some sort of voluntary levy. I am sure that we will play our part in scrutinising that type of levy as it is developed. But, certainly, we know that there will be additional profits being made as a result of this Bill, should it be passed, and there is a need to use every opportunity to ensure that the pockets of the large supermarkets do not grow larger because of that money. And if it is possible that we can divert that money to spend on improving the health of our nation, then we should seek ways to do so.