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 8 January 2020.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 1:46, 8 January 2020

I've no idea to which press release you're referring, but I'll continue with scrutinising Welsh Government's budget. There are no step changes to be seen in Government thinking; it's budget management, that's what we see. Climate change is one of those areas where your Government has failed to demonstrate meaningfully, I think, how spending is really addressing the climate crisis—taking big decisions now for our long-term good. Now, as the future generations commissioner has pointed out, the Government can't even tell us how your spending plans will impact on carbon emissions. To see why we need that kind of assessment, look at the Wales infrastructure investment plan update for 2019; it shows an investment of £1.56 billion on roads compared with an investment of £818 million in sustainable transport, which suggests to me that elements of your budgeting could actually be undermining your net zero carbon objectives. Now, will you as Minister give us an assurance that all future budgets will be accompanied by a carbon impact assessment? And given that we have to focus on the preventative more and more right across Government spending areas, will you also provide a detailed document in future on where Government is spending for prevention?