Thank you very much, and I do welcome today's debate, which I think has been very interesting. The devolution of tax powers provides the Welsh Government with a range of opportunities to develop a progressive approach to taxation that is tailored to Wales's needs. The tax policy framework, published in 2017 by the then Cabinet Secretary for Finance, and the tax work plans published since, have emphasised this Government's commitment to take a strategic approach to tax policy. This is now being delivered through our work to manage existing and newly devolved taxes, as well as our evolving approach to develop new taxes. The 2019 tax policy work plan, which I intend to publish in the coming weeks, will provide further details on our priorities this year. But, just to give a flavour of them, we will be considering wider policy around taxation of residential properties, promoting fairness and progressivity in tax policy through our local taxation work, progressing the work on devolving powers over a vacant land tax, as well as exploring how we make the best use of digital and digital services and technology to improve the administration of Welsh taxes.

Taxes are the admission charge that we pay to live in a civilised society. They're the investment that citizens and businesses make to fund the public services we provide and enjoy collectively, from roads and bridges to hospitals and schools, paying the wages of those who deliver these services, as well as the necessary infrastructure, equipment and resources required to support them. Taxes enable the people in Wales to achieve together the things that we can't manage alone. The decisions we make on Welsh taxes will have a direct impact on the Welsh economy.

The Welsh Government recognises the importance  of considering the impact of taxation on the overall competitiveness of the Welsh economy. That is why our tax policy framework includes a principle that taxes should help deliver strategic objectives and, in particular, that Welsh taxes should encourage jobs and economic growth. That is why we've introduced additional business rates relief for high streets and why we have set the lowest starting rates on taxes for residential and non-residential property transactions. Similarly, our tax policy principles commit us to engage with taxpayers to help inform our approach to developing tax policy. Nick Ramsay talked about the importance of taking people with us, and that's very much the approach that we're taking in terms of seeking to establish a new relationship with people in Wales.

We agree with what's set out in the second amendment to this motion put forward by Plaid Cymru, which we would otherwise support had it not had the effect of deleting and replacing part of the original motion with which we also agree, but we certainly don't see that these two parts of the motion are mutually exclusive, by any means.

Last week, this Assembly took the historic step of setting the first rates of Welsh income tax. To help ensure an orderly and smooth transition to the partial devolution of income tax, Welsh taxpayers will pay the same rates as those in England and Northern Ireland in 2019-20. I have no plans to change income tax during this Assembly. It would be naïve, however, to say we would never raise taxes in Wales. There may be circumstances in the future in which there is a compelling case for fair, progressive change in Welsh taxes to provide the funding needed to continue to deliver the public services that people in Wales want.

I am mindful, however, that Wales and the UK are facing the most significant upheaval in modern times as we look ahead to the UK's exit from the EU. We face the very real possibility of a 'no deal' scenario, and, given this, coupled with the ongoing impact of continued austerity, it is right that we continue to monitor closely developments and assess their impact on our fiscal position. So, we're very happy to support the motion before us today, and we thank Members for their contributions.