, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
You're absolutely right that there are so many things coming together at one time that are going to make things really difficult for individuals and families here in Wales, particularly those on low incomes. So, we're very, very focused on supporting those…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Pay inflation is one of the biggest pressures on the Welsh Government. Around half of our budget is exposed to pay in one way or another, so it is a major pressure on our budgets, which needs to be considered by all colleagues who have responsibility for pay…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Spent.
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
No. The additional funding that we've provided from the COVID funding is very much from the COVID reserve, which we've put together from COVID funding that was received from the UK Government, both in the budget and also through consequentials, but also the…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
And you asked as well about how we're driving value for money. There's a lot of really good work going on on the procurement side of my portfolio in terms of how we define value for money, because I think that all of our views have shifted, really, in terms…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Well, all of these are very much at the heart of the work that we undertake anyway in terms of our setting of budgets. So, the process really does begin well before the summer recess, with an initial budget discussion with colleagues in Cabinet. At that…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Apply sorry the—?
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
So, as I understand it—and, again, I think Andrew might have some more detail on this—I think that what the First Minister has said has been misunderstood slightly. I think that what he was talking about would be the choice between—. You know, at the point of…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
No, this will form part of our overall budget settlement, and then it will be for Welsh Government, with the support of the Senedd, hopefully, through our budget debates and votes, to allocate the funding. Andrew has some more detailed information, though.
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Our programme for government will obviously be at the heart, really, of our budget plans. So, at the moment, we're very much undertaking the budget preparation work across departments, where I'm very clear with colleagues that the programme for government and…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
I think there are two separate points here, the first being that HM Treasury, as you say, have quoted a £700 million benefit to Wales in 2024-25, but that, of course, includes any UK-wide spending, and also covers the additional cost to the public sector…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
The efforts to devolve the vacant land tax have been frustrating, to say the least. There's a set-out process that the UK Government agreed jointly with the Welsh Government and, unfortunately, it has proved itself to be not fit for purpose, because we…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Yes, it could be an opportunity for the Finance Committee to explore with its counterparts in other devolved Governments how they're seeking to get the kind of transparency that they need. We work very closely with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
So, the First Minister gave an update yesterday in terms of the inter-governmental relations and the ways in which we're trying to put in place structures that will provide the framework for better relations in future. And I think there is a real opportunity…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Thank you. The first point—
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Thank you for both of those questions. In terms of why we don't publish what we think we should be getting, it's just because, essentially, we don't have the information that we need to come to a firm view as to what we think we should be getting, because the…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Well, I have had an introductory meeting with the new Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 20 September, and fair play to the new Chief Secretary of the Treasury for reaching out to the devolved Government finance Ministers at an early point. That was welcome…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Sorry, I'm unmuted now. So, I probably couldn't disagree with the NAO's assessment there, certainly in terms of how difficult it is sometimes to get the level of information and detail that we need from the UK Government. The UK Government's block grant…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Well, we're actually looking at what used to be called BAGE, our budget improvement and equality group—no, budget equality group—but changing the focus of that to be much more about scrutinising the wider budget process. So, I think potentially, we've got…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
We don't have—I'm not clear yet on the exact date for the introduction of the tax Bill. However, there's some final work that we're doing on it at the moment, although, as you say, it is a commitment to do it in year 1 of the Senedd. I think that scrutiny of…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Well, a couple of years ago, I introduced our budget improvement plan, which is a rolling five-year look-ahead to the ways in which we'll improve our budget processes. I think that's been very well received, and it's very much within the context of how we…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
No, we don't have any times for further events. Andrew Jeffreys might want to say something about the general rhythm of events and the kind of estimate process as well, which might be useful for committee.
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Oh, sorry, Chair, you also asked about the three-year spending review. So, as I say, it is the expectation we'll have a three-year review, and it's fully our intention then, if we're in a position, to pass that confidence and certainty on with three-year…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Thank you, Chair. So, the Chancellor has confirmed that he will be publishing the results of his multi-year comprehensive spending review on 27 October. So, that means that we won't know our multi-year settlement for 2022-23 and beyond until that review…
, Finance Committee
Introductory session with the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Evidence session
Thank you, Chair. I'd just like to, really, reflect on the really positive and useful working relationship that Welsh Government established with the Finance Committee over many years now, and I think that, obviously, Finance Committee provides an excellent…
