5. Statement by the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd: Fiscal implications for Wales of the impact of, and response to, COVID-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:56 pm on 13 May 2020.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 4:56, 13 May 2020

I'll start with the issue of hospices in Wales, which you've described. You're correct that the amount that we have allocated to hospices in Wales is less than the amount that we received as a Barnett consequential, but that is simply a reflection of the fact that we have fewer hospices here in Wales. So, we have worked closely, actually, with the hospices to find a way in which we can fairly meet the income that they're unable to generate at the moment through their various activities, and so on. But, as I say, we've worked with that sector, and I think that we've provided a settlement that does enable them to continue to do the vital work that they're doing at this moment. I haven't heard that the funding has not been sufficient for that, but certainly if Mark Isherwood has evidence or representations to make on that I'd be happy, of course, to listen to them.

The funding that we announced very early on was over and above the funding that then came from the UK Government for the third sector. But I do have to be clear here that we're not just a halfway house for UK Government funding, where we just administer it to the same projects; we will take decisions based on the needs of our society and of our economy. So, it won't always be the case that exactly the same amount of money goes to exactly the same project or group of stakeholders, because of the nature of devolution and our ability to be more responsive to the particular needs that we have here.

On the issue of B&Bs, I'm very aware that they're not currently able to access support, and I did say that the economic resilience fund has currently been paused in order for us to continue to consider where the gaps remain in terms of the support that people are able to access at the moment, and also to consider the balance that we've put on continuing to respond to the immediate crisis, but then also turning our focus onto the recovery and the reopening of the economy. So that work is continuing in terms of the next phase of the economic resilience fund, and I know that my colleague, Ken Skates, looks forward to making an announcement as soon as he is able to.