Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:23 pm on 2 November 2021.
Could I ask for two debates, please, in Government time? First of all, a debate on the Environment Bill. Your statement outlines that there is a provision for a supplementary LCM this afternoon. There are a number of different issues that are being covered by this legislation, and this Parliament has not had an opportunity to discuss many or any of them. We've discussed the LCMs and the process, but what we have not discussed are the issues themselves. LCMs are, of course, a means of delivering some changes to our statute book, but I do not believe that LCMs were designed for the weight of legislation that is now being enacted without any opportunity for scrutiny by this Senedd.
The second debate I would like to ask for is on the UK Government's budget last week, and specifically the levelling-up funds, which have demonstrated pork-barrel politics at their very worst, bordering on fraud and bordering on corrupt. What we have seen is Tory Ministers using public funds to support and to sustain Tory constituencies, and what we are not seeing is any use of the principle of need for the allocation of funds. It's probably one of the most appalling decisions that I've seen during my time here in this Parliament, and I believe that this Parliament should be debating these matters.