, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
No, no, I don't want to—. Sorry, Minister, I don't want to move from this, because you chose the example of social services—and I agree with you, it's a good example to use—and that's fine and that's fair enough. So, I want to understand, in social services…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
Sure, but that happens every year, whether you provide sufficient cash or not. That's just the run-of-the-mill way of working, isn't it, you know? You've had those structures through good times and bad. What I'm interested in is somewhat different, and you…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, 'yes' is what you're saying. Okay. I'm fascinated by that because, of course, local government does have its own democratic mandate, of course, and it would be a matter for local government leaders to determine, or local councils to determine what their…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, 'yes' is what you're saying.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
You said 'yes'. You said 'yes' to that—yes?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
Yes. You said 'yes' to that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 2—Minister for Finance and Local Government
Thank you very much, and thank you, Minister. I was fascinated by what you said in reply to John's first question. You said, and I wrote it down, that local government is delivering the priorities in the programme for government that are within their…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
We're not in local government, so we want to understand what you're doing.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
We're not in local government.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Okay, I think we—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Tell me what you mean by that, Anthony. Let's use children's services as an example of that. Tell me what you mean by addressing those fundamentals.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
No, and that's the point I'm trying to make. Because there is the distribution sub-group, of course, which considers the formula on an ongoing basis, and there are always amendments being made to the formula in the way that I've just described. So, that…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
You've been in post more than a few months, Richard; you're not new to this job, come on. It's like saying I'm new to being a backbencher. Look, in terms—. So, you haven't done that, so there hasn't been any request to review the formula. And I'm assuming…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Yes, but that's irrelevant. I'm asking you if you've written to the Welsh Government formally asking for that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
—formally, not just talking about it? You have, and you've written to Welsh Government asking for that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
I'm grateful to you for that, Richard. You've opened up a whole new range of questions that could take the rest of the morning and the afternoon as well. Chris will remember that there was a change made to the sparsity element of the local government formula…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
It is wrong.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
I know which one.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
I'm grateful to you for that answer. Richard.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2022-23: Evidence session 1—Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Thank you very much. I'm glad to hear that, Richard. I'm old enough to remember when a settlement of this sort was described as a 'kick in the teeth' by local government, so I'm glad that those days are over. In terms of where we're going now, it's an…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Update on COVID-19
I'm grateful to you, Minister, for the statement and your answers this afternoon, which I think have set a lot of minds at rest. In answer to a question from Russell George at the beginning of the session, you said that it wasn't the time to discuss…
, Plenary
Debate on a Statement: The Draft Budget 2022-23
I haven't got the time, so I won't test your patience this afternoon, but I hope that the Minister in replying will be able to address some of the issues around how we raise funds in Wales, and how we're able to better marshal those funds in order to achieve…
, Plenary
Debate on a Statement: The Draft Budget 2022-23
I'm grateful to the Minister for her statement opening this debate. I noticed that the Minister seems to be making a great deal of notes during this debate. She's always welcome, of course, whenever we're debating these things, but I'm sure she's been as…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
I'd like to ask for a statement, if I could, from the Minister for health on the impact of COVID on the NHS workforce, specifically how people who have been infected by COVID and have continuing issues with their health, rendering them unable to work, will be…
, Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting
Can I just say, before we go into private session, Huw, I think we should put on record our gratitude to Gareth and his team of lawyers for the work they've done through recess in ensuring that we've been able to go through business as efficiently as we've…
