Thank you, Llywydd. I'll try to run through some of the comments in the debate before concluding. I think it's fair to say that the debate's highlighted very clearly how people feel both about the current UK Government and the reality of what is happening, not just from the comments made by the Plaid Cymru economy spokesperson about the challenges over the prioritisation criteria and the lack of transparency, and you heard those from Alun Davies, Hefin David, Carolyn Thomas and others. Unfortunately, that's the reality of where we are. We can't honestly tell you about all of the criteria because they don't make sense and on the data we understand, it still is so hard to understand. You'll have heard Huw Irranca-Davies from a sedentary position confirming that, of course, Bridgend as well as Caerphilly as well as Wrexham as well as Gwynedd are all excluded. And when you look at the objective data, that's an absurd position. It's absolutely absurd for Richmond to be included, whereas, actually, the Ogmore valley is excluded. Now, that's just an absurd place to be.

There is a challenge for all of us about the seriousness with which we approach our responsibilities. I do think that, when you look at not just the points about transparency and structure that Hefin David made, but it was important to hear what Carolyn Thomas had to say about the very short notice that local authorities have had to turn around bids and the real lack of coherence. And I'm afraid that the undoubted truth is that this approach does threaten the union. I'm proud to say that I believe in the future of the union and in Wales's part within it in a successful United Kingdom, but if we're going to have the reappearance of centralisation to ride roughshod over this institution and the Welsh Government that the people of Wales have chosen, then you will see further challenges about the future of the union. And people who believe in the union, whether on the right or the left, need to reflect seriously on the course on which you're headed.

I would say that the comments made by Sam Rowlands and Peter Fox—. Look, I've worked with Sam and Peter at various points in time in their previous roles as local authority leaders and I have a good amount of respect for them even though I disagree with them. But today, I'm afraid that you've forgotten the practical impacts of the funding cuts—the threats to Business Wales, the development bank, the apprenticeship programme, research and development. That's the reality of what will happen with the current atomised approach of the UK Government, and you can't bravely attempt to say that an exercise in Whitehall centralisation is actually great news, because there's a deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between the Welsh Government and local government here. And I just don't think that that is going to wash. And so, Conservative Members really should reflect on their priorities.

Last week, in this Chamber, you criticised constitutional arguments and said that you wanted to focus on the powers of this Senedd and the Welsh Government. You called for other parties to respect the judgment of the people of Wales on 6 May, and yet, here you are championing a deliberate attempt to undermine that judgment, to get around the judgment of the people of Wales. The current UK Government approach guarantees an argument, as it is transparently seen to usurp powers that the people of Wales voted for in two different referenda as well as multiple elections. Who can credibly come to this place in this Senedd and argue, as an elected Member, that powers and responsibility should be removed from this place? It would be extraordinary if the Welsh Conservatives chose to continue supporting a significant budget cut. It simply won't wash to claim that the budget cut that has already been delivered within this year by the UK Government is really somehow an increase. And the reality-defying approach of the Welsh Conservatives does, on the one hand, show real loyalty to Ministers in Whitehall but not to Wales. Our approach in Wales is a coherent regional approach with the buy-in of stakeholders and yes, with devolution to regions of Wales outside Cardiff Bay.

And as Sam Rowlands and Peter Fox know, local government has a key leadership role within the new corporate joint committees. This Welsh Government has a renewed and strong mandate for devolution to govern on behalf of the people of Wales. Bypassing these elected institutions is not just an insult to the people of Wales, it would clearly result in worse outcomes. The First Minister has made his willingness to collaborate on future funding clear to the UK Prime Minister. I wrote early last month to the Secretary and Minister of State leading on these funds to request a meeting as soon as possible to discuss how we can make the funds a success in Wales and to use them as a demonstration of resetting inter-governmental relations in order to deliver practical and effective change. I'm yet to have a response.

If the UK Government is serious about future prosperity here, in and for Wales, it must provide Wales with a fair share of UK spending and work with the Welsh Government and this Senedd, not in a tokenistic way, but as a genuine partner in decision making and delivery, and that simply isn't happening right now. 

There cannot be an attempt to return things to an outdated way of working, when Whitehall Ministers supposedly always knew best. This place has the mandate, and should continue to have the responsibility to act in these matters. I ask Members to support the Government motion and the Plaid Cymru amendment.