Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 20 September 2022.
Well, I'm aware of the schemes, and I'm aware of the two merits that the Member mentioned, Llywydd. They do a third thing as well: they reduce the revenues available to those companies that provide those services, so lowering fares leaves a gap that has to be filled. The leader of Plaid Cymru will be aware of the tens and tens of millions of pounds that the Welsh Government has had to provide to bus services and train companies in order to make good the collapse of the fare books as a result of coronavirus. So, yes, I'm absolutely aware of the schemes, I see their merits, they do not come cost free, and the Welsh Government's budget today is worth more than £600 million less in purchasing power than it was in November of last year, when the comprehensive spending review set it. So, while I see the merits, I'd need to understand better where the leader of Plaid Cymru thinks the funding for such schemes is to be found within the Welsh Government budget.