, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Good. Have the Welsh Government, not you in particular, but it's hard when you're a Minister arguing a way to support your own portfolio—and I have to say, I've said it before, you do have a massive portfolio—but, collectively, with the Cabinet, do you think…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Thank you. What is the impact of the £5.4 million decrease in available funding for clean energy? Which specific projects or programmes will be affected?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Good. You've mentioned the communal and small scale. So, what is the impact of the £1 million decrease in the revenue budget then for residential decarbonisation and quality? And which specific projects or programmes will now be affected?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Yes—decarbonisation of housing. So, will the new Warm Homes programme provide fewer households with energy efficiency measures than its predecessor given that funding remains static and intends to focus on low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps, which…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
I will do. Thank you, Minister.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Thanks, Minister. I'm just a bit concerned about the decrease in the marine funding at a time when we're bringing forward lots of larger projects, and, for me, off the north Wales coast, there's Awel y Môr, as you know. I've already raised concerns about the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
I'm particularly keen to see support for Bangor school of oceanic, because the work they're doing on molluscs, and things like that, and how they, with the carbon and everything—. They're really good. Mussels, oysters, all that kind of work—I think it's…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 2
Thank you, Chair. Hello, Minister, again. Can you comment on the conclusion from Wales Environment Link's 2023 report 'Pathways to 2030', that £158 million additional annual budget was needed beyond the public spending commitments for nature recovery? Do you…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 1
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 1
Transport poverty? Yes. Now, Welsh Government research has found that 41 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds consider transport the No. 1 barrier to getting a new course, training or job. How have you worked, Minister—? Oh, and good morning. I'm sorry you've got…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 1
That's reassuring to hear. Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 1
Oh, thank you. It's been suggested that 10 per cent of bus routes were lost during 2023. Have you assessed the impact of the 2024-25 draft budget allocations on bus service levels, given inflation and a broadly flat revenue budget?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - part 1
Thank you, Chair. Good morning, Lee and everybody. Can you reassure us that this year's bus budgets will not be subject to unforeseen changes so that the 2023-24 bus funding uncertainty isn't repeated?
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Thank you. I remember it was Lesley Griffiths, actually—we did have, where if it went over 5 per cent, the funding cap, you could be subject to a referendum, and I would call for that again. Major reform is needed in the funding formula and how the Welsh…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
I was looking some years ago, and I think it was Lesley Griffiths—
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Let me crack on a bit and then we'll see. So, £4.4 million is required for teachers and staff pay awards, which wipes out the 2 per cent increase. Peredur was quite correct in pointing out the funding and support coming from the UK Government, but I would ask…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, without any doubt, are crippling Wales, and they are certainly now debilitating my own local authority. The provisional settlement for 2024-25 is only £3.975 million more than 2023-24. That's the lowest…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. And I have to say it's actually quite amusing listening to Jane Hutt speak, because you've obviously forgotten that Liam Byrne—one of yours, one of Labour—actually left the note saying, 'We've no money left'. [Interruption.] Now, Welsh…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
We know.
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Thank you. In 2011, when I was elected—and I was the local government shadow Minister—we raised this then, and there was consensus in this Chamber that the funding formula was flawed then. I make representations to my leader, Councillor Charlie McCoubrey; do…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Local government funding
Will you accept an intervention?
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
I am. I have previously asked whether you would consider introducing a scheme where hospitality businesses that are able and want to sell Welsh produce do so and that we do the 'scores on the doors' type of system. This would allow consumers to choose which…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you, Minister, and that is fantastic to hear, but I just believe we could be doing more. Now, the UK currently imports around 35 per cent of the beef and veal it consumes, or around 250,000 tonnes annually—2,700 tonnes from Uruguay, 14,800 from Poland…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
2. What steps is the Minister taking to promote Welsh local produce? OQ60549
