7. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of Covid-19 on future Welsh budgets? OQ55355

The pandemic is putting great pressure on our resources this year, and there are huge uncertainties about funding in future years. That's why, at last week's finance Ministers' quadrilateral, I pressed the Chief Secretary to announce how and when he will set spending plans for next year and beyond.

Thank you, Minister. As you know, eye-watering sums of money have come from the UK Government to help the Welsh economy during lockdown, as well as your own Government's repurposing and reimagining of existing budgets and funds. Anyone who manages a household budget can see that there will be a knock-on effect for future Welsh budgets and the services that they support. How deep will hard-working members of the Welsh public need to dig in terms of increased income tax in the next Senedd term? Thank you.

Well, we've been very clear that we wouldn't increase Welsh rates of income tax over this entire Assembly term, and we stuck to that. But I do think it's a case for all parties, really, to set out what their intentions would be for Welsh rates of income tax ahead of the next Senedd elections so that members of the public can decide what they feel is right for them.