Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 16 October 2019.

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Photo of Nick Ramsay Nick Ramsay Conservative 1:46, 16 October 2019

Well, I see what you mean when you say that the Barnett giveth and taketh—that’s a good expression in many ways. I got the document yesterday—'Reforming our union', which featured in the First Minister’s statement—and there’s an interesting section on finance here where the First Minister or the Welsh Government recognises that the Holtham floor—the fiscal framework that came out of those discussions—has actually been delivering for Wales, and we’re receiving more for each pound in Wales now as a result of that. I think you’ll be able to confirm that that’s originally £1.05 for every pound, looking to rise to £1.15. So, that money is coming to us, Minister. So, I was a bit disappointed with your answer when you said that the local authority funding has been decreasing with the Welsh Government's, because that’s certainly not the case at the moment.

If I can broaden that out a little bit to the funding formula, which I mentioned before, and can I make another plea? Because if you look in detail at the funding of local authorities across Wales, it’s clear that rural authorities have come off particularly badly over recent years. So, when you tell us that you’re looking to put money into social services and money into local authorities in the future, can you guarantee that there will be an even spread of that cake and that local authority budgets across Wales, in rural areas, will also get a better deal than they have in the past, so that in future the Welsh budgets for local authorities are fairer than they have been in the past?