The Long-term Strategy for Taxation Levels

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance – in the Senedd at 2:00 pm on 5 December 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:00, 5 December 2018

Well, of course, Mike Hedges is absolutely right. Taxation is the admission charge we pay to a civilised society. It is through pooling the money that comes through taxation that we are all able to afford the things that around this Chamber we regard as important in the lives of people in Wales. Now, if you chose to lower taxes in Wales by 1p, the gross cost would be around £200 million. Which of our public services would have to be cut, Llywydd, to enable that to happen? You can't do the sort of voodoo economic trick that we are often offered by Members on the benches opposite, in which you cut taxes, have less money, and still are somehow able to spend more on everything that they tell us they would favour.