Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:18 pm on 8 March 2022.
We will not oppose this motion either, and along the same lines, I would ask for greater clarity on the Government's intentions here, because in the last Senedd you refused to vary taxes, or ruled out varying taxes for the rest of the Senedd. Now, as we've heard, you are saying that you won't be varying tax levels while the economic impact of the pandemic remains. The question is, well, what does that mean, because the economic impact of the pandemic will be with us for many, many years? Are you therefore suggesting that there will be no variation in the level of taxation during the years of this Senedd? I'm not necessarily arguing that that's needed, but as we've heard, the cost-of-living crisis and circumstances in eastern Europe may mean that we will need flexibility to reduce taxes, perhaps, in response to the cost-of-living crisis, or to raise them to create extra revenue.
You say you make that statement to give assurances to people, but I don't feel it gives any assurance because what it does it to kick the decision down the road, without suggesting whether it's something that you're willing to consider during this Senedd at all.