7. Debate: The Programme for Government Annual Report and Legislative Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:51 pm on 11 February 2020.

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Photo of Nick Ramsay Nick Ramsay Conservative 5:51, 11 February 2020

I'll keep my comments brief, as I really just wanted to speak primarily with my public accounts Chair hat on, and specifically, looking through the amendments, Plaid Cymru's amendment 2 calls for

'a clear and streamlined set of indicators by which the Welsh Government can be held to account', a good amendment, certainly pointing things in the right direction. This is pretty much the thrust of the Public Accounts Committee's work on our scrutiny of accounts earlier this year and last year. I know Adam Price was a member of the committee during that time, so will remember the points that came forward in evidence. The report on those accounts isn't out yet—I think it's going to be out just before Easter—so that's something for us to return to at a future point, and to take the information that we had from witnesses to the Public Accounts Committee and the amendment that Plaid Cymru have brought forward today and see if we can find some consensual way forward there that really does deliver a more effective scrutiny of accounts in the future. I think that would be in the interest of all parties in this Chamber.

Beyond that, as for some of the other comments that the First Minister made at the start, certain elements—as I'm sure you'll be aware, First Minister—we will agree with on these benches, other elements we will not agree with. I'd certainly welcome the continuing emphasis on mental health, and you made some very valid comments regarding the need to dismiss some of the stigma surrounding this area. I think a lot of work has been done in this area over recent years. I know a number of Assembly Members have spoken with passion about their experiences of mental health over the last few years, and I think that progress has been made. But I certainly take on board your comments that we need to go further, and mental health issues do need to be seen really on a par with physical health.

Finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, the First Minister didn't—. I mentioned this to the—. It was in one of the speeches last week. I think it was possibly in the budget speech, actually—the budget debate last week—and I was looking at the clock, and I think you mentioned the climate emergency some 10 minutes into your speech, First Minister, so it was there, and you mentioned the greening of the budget as well. I do have concerns that, whilst we talk about the green budget—which is certainly to be welcomed, and I think will be in the interests of all of us here and of future generations for Wales—I do feel that it is still not being mainstreamed in the way that it should be, and that for a green budget to really work effectively, then from that early point in the budget-setting process and the scrutinising process, that green budget needs to be centre stage. And, yes, you're right to say that the climate emergency really does need some very drastic action. So, I hope that, in future, with future budgets, we can see those green elements looked at in far more detail far earlier on. You've got a fantastic policy of planting—I think it was 1 million trees. I know that there's tree planting going on here in Wales. I know that there's support for tree planting in Africa as well. I think that that's a great policy. But that alone is not enough. We need to see, yes, the improvement of our natural environment, but we also need to see all portfolios within the Government really embracing that climate change and that green agenda, to make sure that future generations of Wales really can receive from us a planet that is in a state that they and their children can live on and benefit from in the future.