Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:45 pm on 19 January 2021.
I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer. In an earlier answer, he told us, and I would not disagree, that we can't trust the Tories, and when it comes to providing support for our poorest families and our poorest children, I don't believe we can trust them either. The First Minister makes reference to the threat of the withdrawal of the £20 uplift for universal credit, but given what he said to us about not trusting the Tories, can I ask him again to reconsider his decision not to seek the devolution of benefits, as has been recommended by a committee of this Senedd and by independent research and think tanks, because that would enable us, despite the financial challenges, to develop a system of our own that would be fairer when it came to supporting families in these positions? In the meantime, further to exchanges that we had last week, will he consider the practicality of extending free school meals to all those children whose families are in receipt of universal credit? If we can't get the devolution of the main part of the benefits system, is it not time for his Government to support those families in ways that are within this Senedd's current competence?