The UK Government's Fiscal Statement

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:16 pm on 28 September 2022.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 2:16, 28 September 2022

I thank you for that answer, Minister. I had to call it a fiscal statement because that’s what the UK Government have called it, rather than a mini budget, seemingly in order to prevent scrutiny from the Office for Budget Responsibility. But it was a budget, and it is anything but responsible. By unleashing the economically illiterate splurge of tax cuts for the rich, unlimited bankers’ bonuses and protection for the unearned profits of big energy, the Tories—and I hear them over there defending it—are gambling with all our futures. It’s reckless, and it’s unfair. There was a time they used to hide the unfairness; they’re not doing that any more, of course. Your department will be busy working through the figures, I know, but do you agree with me that the Chancellor’s decision not to uprate funding for public services, which are already severely stretched by inflation, is deeply irresponsible and immoral? And that being the case, beyond what we are already doing here in Wales to protect people from that immorality, what more can you do to safeguard those services for the people of Wales?