4. Debate on a Statement: The Draft Budget 2023-24

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:01 pm on 13 December 2022.

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Photo of Jane Dodds Jane Dodds Liberal Democrat 4:01, 13 December 2022

I do concur with Adam Price's assessment of your job, Minister. It is certainly the last job in the world that I would want to do, and I do thank you so much for your work and the engagement by you and your officials as well, certainly with me: thank you so much.

It feels like in these debates, it's always tempting to make a long list of things that we want, and I do also think it's important to look back on what has been funded—in my view, very progressive policies: universal basic income for care leavers, and an ongoing commitment to a UBI for transition; a publicly owned energy company; a review of our roads, with a focus possibly on that moving to increasing our public transport; a ban on single-use plastics. These are really important, progressive policies that do need to be funded, and there are others, I know. And I'll just slip in that I'm also hoping for a ban on greyhound racing, which, hopefully, won't cost us much.

But I think it's so important that we also use this time to think how we can look at the future in this time of crisis, as we've heard. These are absolutely exceptional times, and we need to think how we can focus in on the most needy in our society. I'm interested to hear from Mike Hedges that he knows of farmers with pockets full of gold. I'd love to be introduced to them, please. [Laughter.] In all seriousness, I would like to make a point that, actually, most of the farmers I know are struggling—they are really struggling—and it's really important that we make sure that we continue to support them.

The budget that I've seen so far, and I know there's more detail to come, for me—and I disagree here totally with Peter Fox—does focus on delivery. We've got funding for homelessness services increased; we've got a welcome funding for Ukrainian refugees, which should be funded by the UK Government; business rates support; an increase in the discretionary assistance fund for our poorest; and funding for our local authorities—they do need more, they are really facing severe cuts and really difficult choices—and there's the increase in funding for our care workers.

But you won't be surprised to know that I'm just going to finish with the absolute challenge in our health services. We've heard a lot about the strike that nurses will be undertaking. I understand that midwives have now made a decision to strike as well. These are really, really difficult times, and so, I would join with Plaid Cymru here in urging you to look at our tax-raising powers. I would like to see, for example, some modelling on how we can look at the upper bands of tax and what that could deliver to your budget in Wales. It's very easy for us to say, 'Spend the money,' but we need to be sure that that is funded. So, going ahead, I look forward to continuing to meet with you, Minister. I do hope that we're able to continue the really healthy discussions, and I look forward to the detail that I know will be coming soon in relation to some of those key areas. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.