8. What is the Welsh Government's assessment of the impact on devolved responsibilities of recent UK Government actions? OQ58533

Llywydd, the latest UK Government has refused to rule out cuts to benefits, while confirming its intention to cut public services. Such perverse priorities will impact adversely on our ability to discharge devolved responsibilities, and penalise the poor to pay for bankers' bonuses.

First Minister, we've already heard ample today, I think, to stress the view of many in the Senedd, reflecting their constituents, that people and organisations face unprecedented challenges at the moment with the cost-of-living crisis, fuel and energy costs, and everything else going up in price so much, with the interest rate situation created by the UK Government, and with, I fear, spending cuts still to come. It really is a terrible storm for people and organisations to try and live through. Obviously, First Minister, Welsh Government, as you have set out, will do all it can to address these issues for people here in Wales, but many of the necessary levers to be used to respond lie with the UK Government. That's why I hope that that independent commission set up by Welsh Government is able to make progress, so that we get structures and arrangements in place for a proper communication channel to allow these issues to be properly addressed on a devolved responsibility basis.

First Minister, in addition to all of that, local authorities and the voluntary sector, and so many others in Wales, are desperate for good communication channels, ever better communication channels, with Welsh Government. And I wonder what you could say today in terms of that need and the fulfilling of that need to have regular contact, effective communication channels, at such a difficult time of such unprecedented pressure.

Llywydd, I thank John Griffiths for that, and I'll make two points if I could. First of all, to endorse what he said about the importance of the work of the commission, chaired by Professor Laura McAllister and Archbishop Rowan Williams. Members here will know that, jointly with the Senedd authorities, the Welsh Government is sponsoring a lecture series in which we will hear voices from outside Wales who have a contribution to make to thinking about our constitutional future. The first of those lectures is scheduled for immediately after Plenary next week. It will be delivered by David Lidington, the former Deputy Prime Minister in the Theresa May Government. I've read some of the contributions he's made elsewhere to these debates; he's absolutely worth hearing. I hope Members here will be able to come and hear what he has to say and to debate those issues with him. It's very important that we add to the debates we have internally those voices from outside Wales who can help us to widen our understanding and to devise futures for ourselves in the best possible way.

My second response to John Griffiths, Llywydd, is to, again, agree with him on the importance of communication. It's why, yesterday, at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet committee on the cost of living, we were joined by our social partners. So, we were joined by the voluntary sector. We will be joined by faith communities. We'll be joined by representatives of private industry and by the Wales Trades Union Congress. Local government will be at that meeting as well, and they will come fortnightly to every other meeting of that committee, precisely in order to do what John Griffiths has said—to make sure that there is direct communication from them to the Welsh Government of any views they have; any information they have that we ought to have, they'll be able to provide it. But then, also, where we are able to explain some of the actions we are taking, they will then be able to pass that on directly to their members and their organisations, who we know will have so much to do over this winter when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable from the difficult experiences that we know are bound to come their way.

Thank you, First Minister.