Cai Parry-Jones

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language cy

   7. Pa gamau y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ganfod y rhesymau pam y mae athrawon yn gadael y proffesiwn? OQ64775

   Official English translation

   7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to establish the reasons for teachers leaving the profession? OQ64775

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language cy

   Diolch, Weinidog. Ym mis Mawrth, cyfaddefodd cynllun gweithlu Llywodraeth Cymru nad oedd ganddyn nhw ddata ynghylch pam mae athrawon yn gadael. Nododd Estyn yn union yr un broblem 19 mlynedd yn ôl. Mae ffigurau diweddaraf Cyngor y Gweithlu Addysg yn dangos bod mwy na 3,000 o athrawon ysgol wedi gadael y gofrestr yn y flwyddyn hyd at fis Mawrth, y nifer uchaf mewn pum mlynedd. Ond dydyn ni ddim yn gwybod pam. Does yna ddim system genedlaethol i ofyn i’r athrawon eu hunain pam maen nhw wedi gadael. Mae Lloegr a’r Alban yn gwneud hynny. Pan nad yw Cymru? A wnaiff y Gweinidog ofyn i Gyngor y Gweithlu Addysg ddechrau gofyn i athrawon sy’n gadael y gofrestr pam yr aethant, er mwyn inni ddeall sut fedrwn ni stopio mwy o athrawon rhag gadael yn y dyfodol?

   Official English translation

   Thank you, Minister. In March, the Welsh Government workforce plan admitted that they did not have data as to why teachers leave the profession. Estyn noted exactly the same concern 19 years ago. The latest figures from the Education Workforce Council show that more than 3,000 schoolteachers have left the register in the year up to March, the highest number in five years. But we don't know why. There is no national system in place to ask the teachers themselves why they have left. England and Scotland do that. Why doesn't Wales? Will the Minister ask the Education Workforce Council to start asking teachers who are leaving the register why they did so, so that we can understand how we can stop more teachers from leaving in the future?

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1. 5. Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Finance: Taxation (Wales) Bill en

   Thank you, Minister, for introducing this Bill. In your statement you say that the consultation received detailed responses from taxpayers, professional bodies and industry representatives. However you didn't say how many responses the public consultation received. I have the answer—it was nine. And of those nine, up to only four were individual Welsh taxpayers—four—four in a population of 3.2 million. This is hardly the wide-ranging ringing endorsement your statement would have us believe. I got more responses from exposing the Welsh Government's whisky-tasting trip to France. Moving on to the details of this legislation, I am concerned about the new powers being gifted to the Welsh Revenue Authority. Under current rules, the Welsh Revenue Authority generally needs either the owner's agreement or approval from an independent tribunal before inspecting private premises, however, this Bill would allow the Welsh Revenue Authority to carry out certain landfill tax inspections without either form of approval. We are talking about Welsh officials without independent approval entering privately owned land and premises, potentially without the occupier having prior knowledge of the inspection. Removing an existing layer of independent scrutiny is a big change and one that needs justification. Could you explain what evidence demonstrates that removing prior tribunal approval is necessary? Also, what safeguards will ensure that inspections are justified and proportionate and stay within the limits of their powers, especially when carrying out unannounced inspections on private land when the occupier may not be present?  Beyond the inspections, the Bill would also allow the Welsh Revenue Authority to share more taxpayer information with local authorities and their service providers, withhold certain tax repayments during inquiries, and request information after property transactions. While the Bill includes safeguards and appeal rights, questions remain about how these additional powers will operate in practice. What safeguards will ensure that confidential taxpayer information is only shared where necessary? The Bill will also allow the Welsh Revenue Authority to withhold certain tax repayments to people while an inquiry is ongoing. If the Welsh Revenue Authority is meant to pay tax back to someone, they have wider powers to withhold that payment, potentially for years, before actually having to pay it out. It would also allow the Welsh Revenue Authority to request information about certain property transactions years after they have taken place. How will taxpayers be protected from lengthy delays to legitimate repayments, and how will the Welsh Revenue Authority ensure that information requests remain proportionate? Diolch, Lywydd.

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. Minister, on 15 September, your Government announced—fronted, I noticed, by the First Minister—that, to pay for rate cuts for smaller venues, it would raise the tax on Wales's largest business premises. Eight days later, Admiral, Wales's only FTSE 100 company, announced 500 job cuts, and Legal & General, which employs more than 2,000 people in Cardiff, announced 1,000 job cuts. Now, Admiral had already told the markets back in March that it had to find £100 million of savings. So, you knew some of our biggest employers were under pressure and you still decided to send them a bigger tax bill. Your impact assessment, released later, on 6 October, speculates about jobs that might be created in hospitality, but, crucially, it says nothing about the potential job losses for the businesses having to pay more. So, a simple question, Minister: will you publish a full assessment of the jobs impact of your tax rise before this Senedd is asked to vote on it—'yes' or 'no'?

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Did the Minister answer the question?

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3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   No. Last week, the Deputy Minister for Transport told us that work on a third Menai crossing starts now, which is warm words, but my colleagues were right to ask where the money is, because Wales has been here before. The M4 relief road, originally promised in 1991, millions spent on planning and then scrapped, partly over funding issues. And, yes, the third crossing, originally promised in 2018, £3 million spent on planning and then scrapped, partly over funding issues. The current estimate for this project today is £670 million, yet only £20 million to £25 million has been budgeted over the next five years for it, and that's just been for planning. We can see where this is going, Minister: you'll kick the big spending can down the road while you're in the job, a future finance Minister will announce we don't have enough money and then quietly shelve it. A sad transportation groundhog day. So, Minister, will you prove me wrong and pledge where the money to build the bridge will come from in this Senedd term?

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4. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Minister, you've spent five months in this job. Let's look at your record: you're responsible for the first Welsh Government budget ever to be defeated in the history of devolution; you've twice managed to vote against your own Government, by mistake; you've had to correct the record for getting financial figures wrong in the Chamber; and, just now, you've failed to explain where the money's going to come from for the third Menai crossing. That is why I wasn't surprised that, when your Government needed to negotiate with my party for the next supplementary budget, it didn't send you, it sent the Minister for Government effectiveness. I have a source saying the exact same thing happened with the Labour negotiations. The First Minister said he had learnt lessons over the summer. The lesson, it appears, is to sideline you. So, Minister, who is actually running the Welsh Government's finances? And given it clearly isn't you, is it not time to officially hand over the reins to someone more competent?

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5. 6. Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises cy

   Diolch, Lywydd. Pleser yw cael agor y cynnig hwn ar ran Reform UK Cymru heddiw fel y Gweinidog cyllid cysgodol.

   Official English translation

   Thank you, Llywydd. It's a pleasure to open this debate on behalf of Reform UK Cymru as the shadow finance Minister.

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6. 6. Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises en

   Reform calls for more democratic powers to be put in the hands of local taxpayers. Where Welsh councils propose council tax increases above 4.99 per cent, residents will have the right to approve or reject them through a local referendum. This policy would finally put Welsh taxpayers on an equal footing to their English counterparts. If council leaders want to implement inflation-busting council tax rises year on year, it is only right that they justify it directly to the people who pay—the people who they supposedly work for.

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7. 6. Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises en

   For too many people across Wales, opening the annual council tax bill is something they absolutely dread. Families are struggling with the cost of living. They're working hard to pay their mortgages whilst grappling with energy bills and weekly shopping, yet they're also being asked to find more and more money every year to pay their council tax. In my constituency of Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, a standard band D bill in Cardiff has risen from around £1,637 in 2022-23 to over £2,000 this year—an increase of almost 23 per cent. And it's not just my constituency. Let us look at the figures elsewhere. In 2025-26, Wrexham and Flintshire increased council tax by 9.5 per cent, Pembrokeshire by 9.35 per cent and Ceredigion by 9.3 per cent. In Conwy, residents have faced successive increases of 9.67 per cent, 8.95 per cent and a further 6.5 per cent this year. And on Ynys Môn, the council's band D charge has risen more than 31 per cent since 2022. On average, that's over £425 more each year added to their council tax bill. Staggering. Yet, the Plaid Cymru-led council on Ynys Môn reported a budget underspend, totalling over £8 million across the last three financial years, and holds £19 million in general reserves. Surely, it is reasonable to ask whether residents were charged more than was necessary. It isn't just about the money they haven't spent. It's also about the stupid decisions they've committed to spend on. A few weeks ago, the Isle of Anglesey County Council passed a motion to spend £1.1 million swapping household black bins for smaller ones. Only one councillor voted against that proposal, and I am proud to say that that was a sole Reform Cymru councillor—[Interruption.] There'll be more than one soon. A lonely voice of common sense in a crowded room of nonsense. Let me be clear, of course councils face genuine pressures, from social care to schools, roads and waste collection—these all need funding. We understand that and we want to see them fairly funded, but that does not mean that ever-higher council tax bills should be accepted as the norm. Wales has 22 principal local authorities, so let me ask a straightforward question: do we really need 22 separate back offices when councils could work together to save money? Do we need duplicated payroll systems, separate IT contracts and independent procurement arrangements when sharing services could deliver better value? Could councils combine their purchasing power to secure better prices, reduce duplication and free up money for front-line services, such as social care? This is not an attack on local government employees. They are common-sense questions about the political leadership of Welsh councils. Greater efficiency is one reason Reform wants to introduce a democratic lock on annual council tax increases above 4.99 per cent. We see this policy working as an active deterrent against wasteful and unnecessary spending. If Welsh councils want to raise tax above this threshold, they must make a convincing case through a local referendum. It is up to local people to decide whether their money is being spent efficiently. Consider a household paying £2,000 a year in council tax. A 4.99 per cent increase would add £100 to its bill and an 8 per cent increase would add £160. During a cost-of-living crisis, every pound matters. In England, councils are generally required to seek approval through a local referendum if they want to increase council tax beyond the relevant threshold. So, why shouldn't Welsh taxpayers have the same democratic safeguard? Our objective isn't to force councils to make indiscriminate cuts or undermine essential services, it is to challenge unnecessary duplication, improve procurement, review administrative overheads and encourage councils to work together, wherever that delivers savings. We would also expect greater transparency so that residents can see how their money is spent, what savings have been achieved and why any proposed council tax increase above the threshold is necessary. The people of Wales work hard for their money. They deserve responsible spending, effective services and a fair deal from local government. The answer to every budget pressure cannot simply be another inflation-busting increase in council tax. Plaid Cymru talk about a new deal for Wales, but what the people of Wales really need is a fair deal from all layers of Government within Wales. It's time for the Welsh Government to set the bar. But I know what will happen. Like every other major issue in Wales, Plaid will say it's somebody else's job to fix, someone else's responsibility. 'Council tax is a local matter for councils.' We've heard it before. This is where Reform is different. We will stand up for Wales and fight the corner of local people. We will make sure their voices are heard loud and clear. We will set the standard, and in this case, that means giving taxpayers the final say on high council tax increases. If Members here today want to help people with the cost of living, put your money where your mouth is and back this democratic lock. Their money, their decision.

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8. 6. Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises cy

   Cefnogwch y cynnig. Diolch yn fawr.

   Official English translation

   Support the motion. Thank you.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   6. Beth yw cynlluniau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer mynd i'r afael â thlodi yn nhymor y Senedd hon? OQ64674

   Official English translation

   6. What are the Welsh Government's plans for addressing poverty in this Senedd term? OQ64674

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   It's fascinating that your answer did not explicitly state whether you're talking about absolute poverty or relative poverty, and they are very different metrics. Absolute poverty focuses on the welfare of the poorest people in our society, something I want to see all Governments focus on. The other, relative poverty, is in reality a type of inequality, focused on the gap in wealth between people, and that can be a very dangerous metric. As Margaret Thatcher said, those who focus on inequality above absolute poverty would rather the poor were poorer so long as the rich were even less rich, reducing the gap. First Minister, do you accept there is an important difference in the two measures of poverty? To avoid confusion in future, will you and your Government, when referencing poverty, state clearly whether you're talking about absolute poverty or the socialist obsession that is inequality?

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3. 6. Debate: Fiscal Reform en

   Before I get into the meat of this debate, I have to ask: what really is the point of tabling this motion today and taking up an hour of Welsh taxpayers' time? The motion was co-tabled by the Plaid Cymru Government and its little helpers, in a spectacular reversal of roles, Welsh Labour. So, unless there is some kind of revolt going to happen on the back benches, we already know what the outcome will be. And yet here we are, spending a full hour of our lives on it, when we could be doing something useful for our constituents. This Chamber has already come under fire recently for how it spends its time. I saw a post on X, viewed more than 300,000 times, showing last week's Plenary and the row over the word 'blanket'. The caption of the post read: 'Oh my god. This isn't a sketch. This is real. It happened at the Welsh Senedd. Madness'. We as a Parliament have to be very careful that we are spending our time here wisely, that we are addressing the challenges that the Welsh public is facing, that we walk in their shoes, that we get it. I'm afraid I do not think that the public would put fiscal reform anywhere near the top of their agenda. Now to the contents of the motion itself. In it, the Welsh Government is asking the Senedd to call on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government. You already do that, don't you? Working with the UK Government is a fundamental part of a devolved Government's responsibilities. Welsh Labour did it for 27 years when they were in power and your own Government has been doing it ever since. You do not need the Senedd to hold your hand while you speak to Andy Burnham. My other issue on this motion is the utter vagueness of the wording. Part (a) states: 'enhance the Welsh Government’s fiscal flexibilities'. Which ones and to what extent? You say that that includes 'removal of all restrictions on the Wales Reserve'. But, of course, you're asking for much more than that. So, why not be honest and write exactly what it is you are calling for? Reform's position is clear and unequivocal: prioritise doing better with the existing powers. Deliver better results with the money you have. The Welsh Government and civil service need to prove that they can deliver first-class public services efficiently. Reform welcomes your clear commitment to more transparency, as outlined by the Cabinet Minister for Government effectiveness, but so far, year after year, all we see is more economic decline and an NHS in Wales that is sinking financially. On part (b), 'review the operation of the Barnett Formula to strengthen fairness and transparency', I understand that your argument at first is about transparency and reporting, but this is politics. The wording is so general and so open to interpretation that if this motion is agreed, we may well hear a Plaid Government, down the line, suggest that the Senedd backed fundamental change to the Barnett formula and demand more funding on the back of it. Specifics matter. Precise wording matters. If the Welsh Government knows which fiscal powers it wants, it should name them, cost them and explain the safeguards. If it cannot do that, then this motion is not a plan for reform, it is a request for political cover for the lack of ideas on the left. I hope the theme of this speech was clear: please, for the sake of the people of Wales, say in clear words what exactly you're asking for, and please remember that our time belongs to the people of Wales and they expect us to use it wisely. Diolch, Lywydd.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   10. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am weithredu Deddf Senedd Cymru (Atebolrwydd Aelodau ac Etholiadau) 2026? OQ64560

   Official English translation

   10. Will the First Minister provide an update on the implementation of the Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026? OQ64560

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   Diolch, Brif Weinidog. Part of this Act places a duty on your Government to bring in rules banning false or misleading statements of fact, made before or during an election, to affect who is elected. It also lets your Government set out what does and does not count as a statement of fact. If it is, in fact, true that a candidate misrepresents their own beliefs to win votes, and that becomes clear after polling day, will your Government treat that as a false statement of fact?

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3. 3. Business Statement and Announcement en

   Trefnydd, I would like to call for a Welsh Government statement from the Minister for Finance regarding the Welsh rates of income tax during the Senedd term, in particular whether she has made any request to any civil servant on assessing the impact of an increase in taxes and what impact that would have on her finances.

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Last weekend, on BBC Politics Wales, you said you were, quote, 'quite shocked' by the financial pressures facing the Welsh Government and the reality of the Welsh budget when you came into the role of finance Minister. So, Minister, what specifically about the state of the Welsh finances came as a surprise to you after taking office?

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   I don't understand how that was a shock when you became finance Minister, because it was already known that there would be a reduction, unless you just didn't do your research before becoming finance Minister. Anyway, Plaid Cymru went into the Senedd election saying that their manifesto was fully costed. Given these shocks you now have, can you confirm to us that your manifesto would not be labelled 'fully costed' if you had the information you have today?

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3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Thank you. You've spoken about cuts, but not taxes. However, actions speak louder than words. From April, the Welsh Government has introduced a higher business rates multiplier for larger premises. Is this the direction that you think this Government is going to go towards in dealing with the financial issues? Are you considering other tax rises, including income tax?

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4. 8. Short Debate: Congestion isn't inevitable: How the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council can improve the lives of motorists in Cardiff and the surrounding regions en

   Diolch, Lywydd. I'd like to give one minute of time to Joe Martin, Jason O'Connell, Huw Thomas, Stephen Senior, Leticia Gonzalez and, last but not least, Iain McIntosh. Cardiff has a congestion problem—a serious congestion problem. I have had the privilege to live in six cities around the United Kingdom in my life and never before have I seen a congestion problem at this scale. But worse than the congestion problem itself are the Government interventions designed to relieve it. As Ronald Reagan said, the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the Government and I'm here to help.' Let me start with the Welsh Government's help. In 2021, Mark Drakeford's Labour Government announced a freeze on new road building projects, which they argued would encourage fewer people to drive. It didn't. It adds to people's time in their car as they spend more time waiting in traffic. And it isn't just my opinion but that of the leader of Cardiff Council at the time, Huw Thomas, who made the case for the eastern bay link road as a way of diverting traffic away from residential areas. That's not the only project that needs to be restarted in Cardiff. For the third lane on the A470, currently the Welsh Government's webpage marks it as planned and it hasn't been touched since September 2021. And the improvements at junction 33 and 34 of the M4 promised in 2019 were frozen in 2021 and untouched since. Another damaging road policy that came from Drakeford's Welsh Government was changing the default speed limit from 30 mph per hour to 20 mph, again, believing this would encourage fewer people to drive. And again, it didn't. The negative reaction of this policy from the public was, to put it mildly, significant. Almost 0.5 million people signed a petition to reverse the policy. Now, to give an idea of the scale of that, that petition had more signatures than votes for this current Welsh Government's party in the 2026 Senedd election, an election that saw the highest turnout in devolved history. As to how this affects congestion, the Welsh Government themselves admit estimating a 1 billion minutes annually in additional travel time because of this single policy. Now, I'm pleased to see many roads that were originally changed to 20 mph going back to 30 mph, including some this summer in Cardiff, but there are many more roads to revert. Moving on to local government's poorly thought through interventions, Cardiff Council have made a few, from replacing well-used bus lanes with poorly used cycle-only lanes, to removing park and rides, which are a common solution to congestion in other UK cities, to going into debt for building a new 16,500 capacity arena that will take congestion in Cardiff from bad to really bad. Cardiff Council's latest scheme is to tax employers for providing parking spaces for their staff, believing it will disincentivise people to drive to work. It is certainly going to disincentivise people to work, because this is a tax on workers. We know, from Nottingham council's implementation of the same tax, that the cost will be passed on to the workers. Let me be clear: Reform will always be against more taxes on working people, as should every respectable party that claims to be for working people, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. I and so many other residents of Cardiff and further afield are sick of poor policy after poor policy being introduced by the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council. It is time for a real change of mindset to fix this problem. Open more park and rides, build more roads, replace unused cycle lanes with bus lanes, change 20 mph roads back to 30 mph, stop new taxes on workers, stop going into debt spending on projects that add to congestion, and, finally, just do the opposite of whatever Mark Drakeford says. That is how we fix this problem. That is how we get Cardiff's motorists moving again. That is how we get Wales's economy growing again. I'll end my contribution on a quote from C.S. Lewis: 'If you are on the wrong road progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.' I hope in Wales we can be progressive. I hope this Government can admit the mistakes of its predecessor. And I hope this Chamber can vote through any and all legislation that reverts the damaging policies I've mentioned. Diolch yn fawr.

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1. 4. Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Finance: Rebalancing the non-domestic rates system en

   I'd first like to thank the finance Minister for taking the time out of her busy day to join us here in the Senedd, but if I'm truthfully honest, I'm not sure what the point was, given you'd already announced to the press in writing what you were going to do over 24 hours ago. I'm reminded of that excellent phrase from the former Plaid Cymru leader and current Government Minister, Adam Price, who said, when Labour did exactly the same thing, 'government by press briefing'. He also said it was disrespectful to the Llywydd and that, quote, 'it undermines this institution and our roles as elected Members'. Strong words. Can the Minister confirm whether she aims to continue governing by press briefing? Now, coming on to the content of your press release, I'd also like to thank the finance Minister for taking a policy straight out of Reform's manifesto. In it, we said: 'We will introduce a permanent lower multiplier for pubs, hotels and hospitality venues'. Something that was not specified in Plaid Cymru's own manifesto. Look, if Reform provides the policy and Plaid Cymru delivers it, I won't complain. However, sadly, there must have been some misreading of our manifesto because, to afford the tax cut, you didn't end international spending or find savings in Government efficiencies; you just sent the bill directly to Wales's big businesses. As you were quoted in the press release, the 'burden will fall on the bigger businesses', bigger businesses like Admiral, Wales's only FTSE 100 company; Airbus, one of Flintshire's biggest employers; and Tata Steel, providing an essential and strategic resource for the whole nation. But of course, although the bill for the tax goes on the business's accounts, businesses don't pay taxes, in the same way as a house doesn't pay council tax, the same way this flooring doesn't pay VAT, and the same way this speech doesn't pay income tax. Do you know who pays taxes? People pay taxes. So, when you tax business, it has to be paid by somebody. Either it's paid by the owners or the customers or the workers. There is no other option. So, when Admiral's insurance premiums go up for its customers, and pay rises for Airbus's employees don't happen, and investment for Tata Steel's electric arc furnace dries up, will you take the blame? And will you correct your press release statement, Minister, to say that the burden falls on the millions of Welsh people associated with bigger businesses? And the situation for them is even worse because, just across the border, businesses can run a factory or rent office space or use any other premises a large successful company needs for lower business rates, discouraging future businesses from an opportunity to come to Wales. My final point on this press release is this: is this it? Plaid Cymru in their manifesto said business rates needed real reforms, and after eight weeks over the summer, all you could come up with was moving some industries into the eligibility for the lower threshold category that already existed. Minister, when will we see the real reforms of business rates promised in your manifesto? Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   1. A yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gwneud unrhyw arbedion cost diriaethol mewn unrhyw adran yn ystod y Senedd hon hyd yn hyn? OQ64428

   Official English translation

   1. Has the Welsh Government made any tangible cost savings in any department during this Senedd so far? OQ64428

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   I'll take that as a 'no'. A key component of the Welsh Government's administrative spend is the estate it owns and manages. According to the most recent and cutely named 'State of the Estate' report, published in April, we see that the Welsh Government has around 70,000 sq m of estate at a cost of nearly £20 million a year. Seventy thousand square metres of estate is exactly the same as the 2020 target produced pre COVID and before the boom in home working. We also learnt from the latest report, quote: 'Most Staff continued to work remotely'. First Minister, smarter management of the estate could save over £10 million a year. My question is: why is the Welsh Government not making these obvious efficiencies?

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3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution en

   Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Minister, last week, your Government came to the Senedd and asked for permission to go to Westminster and argue for a different funding model. In a crushing defeat for you and your colleagues, this Senedd refused to grant that permission. Reform, with the support of Labour and the Conservatives, potentially saved £1.5 billion annually for the Welsh Government's budget—you're welcome. Now that the Senedd has spoken, will you abandon your plans to argue for a change for the funding model for Wales?

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4. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution en

   Thank you for your answer, Minister. You are responsible for your party's programme for government, and that programme did take a significant blow last week. Just like the supplementary budget that you are hoping to pass, with votes you don't have, your minority Government has to follow the first rule of politics, which is learning to count. There's little doubt that much of Plaid's manifesto hinged on an optimistic change of the funding model from Westminster. Now that the Senedd has rejected your calls to change the funding model, what changes have you made to your programme for government?

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5. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution cy

   Mi wnaf i gymryd hynna fel 'na'.

   Official English translation

   I'll take that as a 'no'.

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6. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution en

   Responding to the COVID inquiry's fifth report today, the First Minister rather vaguely said that Plaid remains committed to reviewing the Wales COVID response. In March, Plaid said it would hold a short, sharp and focused review of the Welsh Government's COVID response, a far cry from the full-fat all-Wales inquiry Plaid previously called for for years, including during your 2024 manifesto. Now, following that u-turn, nobody knows what your review actually is—not when it's happening, not for how long, not even what elements of the COVID response it would focus on. Surely, Minister, now is the time to make it clear to bereaved families what actions exactly your Government is going to take.

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7. 9. Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27 en

   Minister, this is a minority Government and, over the last few weeks, this Senedd has demonstrated that Plaid cannot simply assume that others will just fall into line and vote with them. If the Government wants to secure the support of this Chamber, it must be prepared to build the consensus across political divides and to listen to those who represent different viewpoints. Every one of us in this Chamber has been elected to represent our constituents and to honour the mandate they have given us. Our responsibility is not to make life easier for the Government, but to ensure that the voices of the people we represent are heard in this place. In Reform, our position has been clear from the outset. We have three simple red lines to ensure that we support a budget that actually puts Wales first. I'd like to first say that none of those red lines is directly copying what England are doing with the ALN funding, so I look forward to her apology for the comments she initially made regarding Reform's position. The first red line is we called for international spending to be brought to an end, so that those millions of pounds could instead be invested here in Wales, as they always should have been. The Welsh Government budget was always intended to be spent in Wales. Secondly, we called for greater investment in our home-grown NHS staff. It is unacceptable that newly qualified Welsh nurses are completing their training only to find there are too few opportunities for them to work in the NHS here in Wales. We invested in training these professionals, yet this year, nearly 400 nurses and midwives could not find jobs in the NHS after initial job allocations. Coincidentally, the Welsh Government has hired at least 500 nurses and other medical professionals from India through the Wales in India initiative. Thirdly, we highlighted, as other parties have, the urgent need for greater support for the additional learning needs system. There is no excuse for not being aware of this strain, even before we all highlighted it to you. Concerns have been raised about these financial pressures from Audit Wales to local councils to school leaders. Unfortunately, on the first two priorities, the Government has failed to act. On additional learning needs, while the Government has acknowledged the issue, what has been offered to local councils is only a fraction of what is required for our schools. It falls well short of the level of support that school leaders have been calling for. It is clear that rather than attempting to fix the system, this is an offer designed to secure political support, treating disabled children like a political football, and I know my colleague will touch on this later. Llywydd, at the election, Reform became the largest opposition group in the history of the Senedd. That was not an accident. It reflected the desire of many people across Wales for a different approach and for different voices to be heard in Welsh politics. We were not elected to wave through Government budgets that, in our view, fail to deliver for the people of Wales. We were elected to hold the Government to account and to argue for policies that reflect the mandate we have received. The people who sent us here expect us to stand by our principles, and that is exactly what we're doing today. The majority of people in Wales did not vote for Plaid's manifesto, and the majority of the Members of the Senedd were not elected on its programme. The proportional representation system that Plaid helped to design was always going to result in a minority Government. You knew you needed to seek collaboration. From the very first sitting in this Senedd, Reform has made it clear that we are prepared to work constructively with Members from across the political spectrum where proposals genuinely benefit the people of Wales. That offer still remains on the table, but that offer requires collaboration, not the expectation that an opposition party will sheepishly support a budget that fails to deliver for their voters. And for these reasons, Llywydd, Reform will be voting against the supplementary budget.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am sefydlu asiantaeth ddatblygu yng Nghymru? OQ64325

   Official English translation

   3. Will the First Minister provide an update on the establishment of a Welsh development agency? OQ64325

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   Diolch, Brif Weinidog. A little birdie has told me that in that statement we won't specifically know what the Welsh development agency will mean for the Development Bank of Wales. Previously, Plaid have said the WDA will potentially make equity investments in companies in Wales, which is exactly what the development bank already does alongside their loans. So, my question is: will the WDA absorb the Development Bank of Wales, or will we have multiple quangos inefficiently duplicating efforts? Diolch.

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3. 3. Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy: New Development Agency for Wales en

   Thank you, Minister, for your statement. An hour ago, I asked the First Minister a very important question about the future of the Development Bank of Wales and the WDA. Unfortunately, though quite unsurprisingly, I did not get an answer from the First Minister, so I will try with you. This is a really important question. I have spoken to a representative of the Development Bank of Wales who said that they hadn't a clue what was going to happen to their organisation, and subsequently, they hadn't a clue what was going to happen to their own role. Furthermore, people across Wales will be keen to know whether there will be inefficient duplication of efforts from multiple quangos in this Government. So, I ask: is the WDA going to absorb the Development Bank of Wales?

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4. 7. Debate: Fair Funding en

   This debate about funding is full of grand pronouncements from Plaid Cymru. It's full of heady rhetoric and misty-eyed platitudes. Let's talk about facts and what we know to be true. Firstly, let's be clear on what fair funding means. We know that Plaid Cymru want needs-based funding for Wales. We know that from their general election manifesto and recent Welsh Government press releases. So, fair funding means needs-based funding. Secondly, we know that the Institute for Fiscal Studies said in February this year that, based on the latest assessment, Wales is £1.5 billion a year better off under the current funding system than it would be if we had needs-based funding.

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5. 7. Debate: Fair Funding en

   I'll come back to that in a bit. The question is, though—. We have to use that as a baseline, right? There's no point saying, 'Well, we don't know what the answer is, therefore, let's just ignore the data we have available to us because it isn't perfect.' The question Plaid Cymru have to answer before the Senedd can reasonably support their calls for needs-based funding is, 'Why should the Senedd vote to risk making Wales poorer?' Of course, we need to know what Plaid Cymru will cut if we are poorer—£1.5 billion poorer, according to the most up-to-date estimate. Snatching support from disabled children, as they have proposed in their supplementary budget, won't be enough to cover it any more. Some will argue, like Rhun, that the latest assessment of Wales's relative needs, which was based on the Holtham commission report of 2010, is out of date. That may be true, Llywydd, but that takes us to the next issue of this motion. Plaid is asking us to support needs-based funding without knowing exactly what a needs-based calculation would result in for the Welsh budget. Will we lose out on £1.5 billion, £2 billion, or will we be lucky and only lose out on £1 billion? We don't know. But on the basis of the Holtham commission, the most up-to-date and credible estimate is a loss of £1.5 billion, and that's a fact. Remember, Plaid aren't asking Members of this Senedd to support them in commissioning research into Wales's relative spending need. They are asking us to give them the go-ahead to push for needs-based funding. It's a leap of faith, Llywydd, that could have dire consequences for Welsh public services, as £1.5 billion is around 5 per cent of the final Welsh Government budget. It's £1 in every £20 spent in Wales by the Welsh Government potentially gone in an instant. It's a massive sum. It's more than the entire transport budget or the rural affairs budget. It's the kind of cash that could change lives here in Wales. It could change industries. It could change communities. And here we are being asked to gamble that away. Llywydd, Plaid are styled as the Party of Wales, but no party with Wales's best interests at heart would willingly vote to risk cutting our public services budget by 5 per cent, and that's why we will oppose this motion this evening, because Reform is the real party for Wales.

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1. 8. Welsh Labour Debate: Funding for additional learning needs in the first Supplementary Budget 2026-27 en

   Reform will be supporting this motion. Learners with additional learning needs are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and the decision to divert all of the cash that could have been used to improve their lives will haunt the new Plaid Cymru Government for a long time. Starmer's Labour attacked the elderly, Rhun's Plaid has one-upped them by going after disabled children. Just under three months ago, Audit Wales released a report titled 'Additional Learning Needs: a system under strain'. The report said, among other things, there were, quote, real 'concerns about the system’s financial sustainability'. But, of course, I don't need to make this argument. Even Plaid's amendment to this debate says ALN funding is unsustainable. Plaid agrees that the system needs more money, and yet its solution is to give the system no more money. How does that work? Well, the half-baked excuse the Minister gave was that special education debts accumulated by local government in England, quote, 'do not exist in Wales in the same way.' It may not be the case that it is the same way, but that doesn't mean the debts are not there. Between 2020 and this financial year, budgets associated with ALN increased by 95 per cent in Cardiff, my constituency. The council's budget brief sent to me yesterday said that ALN had become the council's biggest pressure area. If the Welsh Government fails to pass any of this money on to the ALN system, my constituents will most likely be forced to meet pressures in the system through higher council tax. Further evidence that no additional funding going to ALN is a mistake comes from the National Association of Head Teachers, who say that school leaders sent over 5,000 letters to Welsh Government Ministers calling for the consequential funding to be protected, ring-fenced and invested in ALN provision. Now, with that cash being spent elsewhere, they have said teachers and teaching assistants will lose their jobs and that Welsh pupils will be unfairly disadvantaged compared to England. Plaid Cymru, Party of Wales—are you sure about that? I hope that Plaid's backbenchers can explain to their colleagues in Government that they are not prepared to vote to take the life raft away from learners with ALN, and I hope that, this afternoon, the entire Senedd will send a clear message to this Government that it will not be done in our name. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   First Minister, your party supported the banning of greyhound racing in Wales. As a result, it will be fully banned in Wales as early as next April. I am seriously concerned that Plaid Cymru's thirst for banning British cultural sports will not stop here. Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville said a few months ago that Grand National-style horse racing should be banned. First Minister, horse racing is not only a cultural part of our British identity but an economic one, generating hundreds of millions of pounds for Wales, supporting jobs from stables to tracks to bars at the races. Will you confirm to the Senedd today that you will not be moving to ban horse racing with jumps here in Wales?

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Diolch, Lywydd. Minister, I'd first like to say something nice by putting on the record my thanks for the multiple meetings you've held with me regarding the budget ahead of yesterday, and for releasing the supplementary budget hours rather than minutes before announcing it in the Chamber. It's professional, and I'm sure all voters in Wales will appreciate that. Minister, your supplementary budget documents refer to the fiscally challenging environments you say you have inherited. I pointed out that the last Welsh Government budget was supported by Plaid Cymru, and that therefore your party shares responsibility for the state of public finances here in Wales. You told us that, quote, in opposition you don't see the books, and that the funding plans that had no allocation for them weren't visible to Plaid Cymru. But your predecessor Mark Drakeford has said of Plaid, quote, 'They had access to all the information that was available to the Welsh Government'. Minister, is Mark Drakeford right, or are you?

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   I'm sorry, Minister, I can't accept that wishy-washy answer. Mark Drakeford is not only the former Minister of finance, but was also a former First Minister. If we want the public to take this Parliament and Welsh Government seriously, the public need a clear response from you to this accusation from an historic figure in Welsh devolution, not to deflect it. So, I ask again: is Mark Drakeford right to say Plaid Cymru had full access to the books or not? It's just a 'yes', 'no', we can move on.

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3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Minister, in your manifesto, you say you want to increase borrowing powers by increasing the Senedd's total capital debt limit to £3 billion. Reform is clear: we are against further borrowing powers, because there's only one thing worse than having your taxes spent on tree planting in Uganda, and that's your children being forced to pay the interest on those trees. Every pound of interest on debt is a pound that can't be spent on future classrooms or cancer wards. That isn't borrowing for Wales, that's borrowing from Wales's next generation. People like the economics Nobel prize winner James Buchanan have been warning about this issue of Government debt for 50 years. Do you accept that there could be substantial negative consequences for future generations if there is more borrowing for Wales?

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1. 5. Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Finance: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27 en

   Diolch, Lywydd. Thank you, Minister. Your supplementary budget's own documents claim that you inherited a fiscally challenging environment. Inherited, as though you were a bystander. Your party supported the last Government's budget only five months ago, and you supported budgets during your co-operation agreements and during your time in coalition together. The truth is that your party shares a responsibility for the state of Wales's finances today. You can't hide behind them to justify difficult decisions, and the people of Wales won't let you—not unless you're prepared to hold your hands up and admit the part that Plaid Cymru has played in this mess. On the theme of financial responsibility, we see that the Welsh Government is drawing from reserves for this budget. At the time of the final budget, five months ago, capital reserves totalled over £120 million. There is now only £3 million left in capital reserves without having to dip into the Welsh reserve, which is the final line of defence, which you've also taken £32 million out of. Coming back to the capital reserve, 97 per cent has been raided by one Plaid Cymru mini budget that the First Minister described this morning as an opportunity, quote, 'to just make some adjustments.' That's quite an adjustment.  Those reserves are there for an important reason: to provide us with the resilience against unknown factors, from flood damage to future pandemics to the next foot and mouth or TB crisis. Minister, it is clear that your Government is draining these reserves to fund your questionably costed manifesto pledges, leaving Wales defenceless against shocks and unforeseen crises. Can you tell the Senedd today what risk assessment have you made of the resilience of the Welsh Government budget if capital funding is urgently needed within the next few months? And what plan and timeline do you have in place to replenish those reserves you've taken out of, so that the people of Wales can once again feel confident we're ready to take on the next unknown event? Moving to another important matter in this budget, Westminster has provided consequential money that has come to Wales to make a substantial difference to our additional learning needs provision here in Wales, commonly referred to as ALN. And yet it appears as if a substantial sum of this money, if not all the money, has been diverted to other projects. Both Audit Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association have raised serious concerns about the financial sustainability of ALN in Wales. So, the money Westminster has provided for this purpose is not just needed to improve the education of our most vulnerable children, it's essential to keep the system they rely on afloat. As if that wasn't enough evidence that diverting ALN funding is a mistake, the National Association of Head Teachers have recently come out and said that, as a result of this move, children with ALN in Wales will be worse off than those in England. So, can you set out this afternoon how much of that consequential spending is being diverted away from disabled children? Minister, last week, we held a debate about international spending, and I'm pleased that, unlike many of your colleagues, including the Minister sat next to you, you stayed in the Chamber and listened. I have to say I did wonder, after reading your budget, how your fellow Members would react to your budget today, given they left on a point about child illiteracy in Wales. And this budget is taking money away from an area that could have significantly improved literacy rates in Wales. No walkout this time. In closing, Minister, my final question is: what do you have to say to those individuals with ALN and their families who are predicted to be left worse off than their English counterparts? Diolch yn fawr.

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1. 6. Reform UK Debate: Government international spending en

   Diolch, Lywydd. It's a privilege to be opening this debate today, tabled in the name of my colleague Llŷr Powell, on behalf of my party and most notably on behalf of many hard-working Welsh taxpayers. Llywydd, we spend a lot of time talking about the cost-of-living crisis and rightly so. People across Wales are struggling to make ends meet because of rising costs. So, when we, as legislators, propose taxing people, taking money out of their pocket, we must ensure that every single penny is justified. With 0.5 million people waiting for NHS treatment, when in Cardiff over 20,000 emergency food parcels are being delivered to individuals in a year and with 20 per cent of children leaving Welsh primary school functionally illiterate, all of our resources have to be focused and they have to deliver for the people of Wales. Of course, we know that these serious problems in Wales will not be entirely rectified by the money the Welsh Government is spending overseas, but it will be a good start. And this isn't just about pounds and pence, it is about principles. It's about the Welsh Government acting first and foremost in the interest of Welsh people and Welsh communities. During the election campaign, I spoke to hundreds of voters—many of them, to be honest with you, former Labour voters—who said they couldn't see how spending overseas could be justified while their local communities were visibly struggling. Turning to the amendments, I will first deal with the amendment tabled in the name of Lynne Neagle on behalf of Labour. In it, it says that international spending constitutes 0.031 per cent of the current Welsh Government's budget. Clearly, the Labour Party is trying to pretend that this spend is negligible, but that small percentage makes up nearly £10 million a year. Let me be clear: that money can make a huge difference to people in Wales. That money could fill well over 100,000 potholes on Welsh roads, it could cover almost half of the budget shortfall in Cardiff Council, it could cover millions of free school meals for our poorest children, and we will hear several other potential uses for that money later in the debate. The Labour amendment also calls on the Senedd to recognise the direct economic benefits of this spending. Llywydd, I hope this afternoon a Labour speaker will be able to set out these direct benefits and how they were achieved, because previously the Senedd has struggled to scrutinise this spending. Indeed, earlier this year, the Senedd committee for international relations had said it had serious concerns about the financial transparency and international relations budget. They said they had been denied the ability to scrutinise the budget and added that, quote,  'information was frequently incomplete and unclear, with irreconcilable amounts'  of money within the spend. So, I know we would all welcome some transparency on this matter. Now, turning to the Government's amendment, tabled in the name of Heledd Fychan, which describes Reform's approach to Wales in the world as 'isolationist'. It's a bold attack line, Llywydd, from a party whose whole existence is to withdraw Wales from the United Kingdom. But there is nothing isolationist about choosing to govern for the people of Wales. That should be what we are here to do; it should not be controversial. And it's churlish to suggest that unless you support spending Welsh taxpayers' money on overseas mini embassies or tree planting in Africa, you're closing yourself off from the world. The amendment also calls for us to celebrate Wales's reputation for, among other things, being open to business. This, again, is a strange attack from a party that will damage small businesses in our tourism community with their tourism tax, risking the livelihoods of over one in 10 Welsh workers. And let's not forget that Plaid supported the 20 mph default speed limit, which is estimated to cost the Welsh economy £4.5 billion. While Reform is committed to backing tourism, backing our high streets and reforming business rates, we won't take any lectures from Plaid on creating a Wales that is open to business. Llywydd, the finance Minister spoke over the weekend of extremely difficult decisions that the Welsh Government will need to make to fund their manifesto pledge, because the previous Welsh Government had left finances in such a poor state. We can only imagine, Llywydd, how cross Plaid will be when they get hold of the people who supported that last Government budget. People in Wales are now concerned that there's a real chance this Welsh Government will cut public services in order to fund their uncosted policies, and many will resent those cuts and having to tighten their own belts, while the Welsh Government on overseas spending won't tighten theirs. I hope that Members across this Chamber will join us in finally putting the interests of Welsh people first. Diolch yn fawr.

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1. 5. Reform UK Debate: Childcare offer en

   Four hundred million pounds. That's quite a sum for the Welsh Government to find for their childcare offering, and it will be especially difficult during this Senedd. For example, it's been widely predicted that the additional needs of the NHS in Wales, with an ageing population, will outpace the extra funding the Welsh budget will receive. But I'm an optimist. I think, if the Government is willing, like Reform is, to make difficult decisions, as well as find and execute smart Government efficiencies, they might just get there. However, this isn't the only item on Plaid Cymru's shopping list. Last week, the First Minister promised a roads-based solution for the M4. We all know such a solution can cost up to £1 billion. In fact, Labour's proposed solution was going to cost even more than £1 billion. And on top of that, yesterday, the Deputy Minister for Transport confirmed the Government were looking into a third bridge up in north Wales. That is going to cost hundreds of millions of pounds. And of course, the list goes on. Plaid promises to create 10 new surgical hubs, set up a brand new economy quango, build 20,000 new social homes, ensure that every primary school has a library and the list goes on and on and on. Of course, the issue with costings isn't just where you'll get the money from, but how much money you need. That £400 million figure has come from Plaid Cymru, with no real further details or breakdown of the cost. So, should we all just take Plaid Cymru's word for it? That's why Reform has been hard at work in the background, modelling our own estimate for the cost of this flagship policy. And after taking into consideration details such as childcare costs rising due to higher demand, as well as the pull this policy will have for young families across the UK, we predict it will cost well over £400 million. Our central estimate stands at £587 million, almost 50 per cent more than Plaid Cymru's figure, and there is a serious possibility that if take-up is very high, this policy could balloon to costs upwards of £710 million. I think I would be a hypocrite if I told you to simply take my word for it. During this debate, Reform have released details of our estimates, including the key assumptions of our model. And I welcome—in fact, I encourage—the Government, the whole Chamber, to scrutinise these costings. Because Reform ultimately believes that transparency, whether it's in Parliament, in Government, or in the wider public sector, is a good thing. Llywydd, all we're asking the Government to do is follow Reform's lead.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   Homelessness is an issue that impacts people of all ages and backgrounds, and I do think there is scope to work positively across parties in this Senedd to tackle it. I'd like to raise specifically veteran homelessness. I know you will agree we all owe a debt to our veterans, and I know a great number of my constituents believe it is intolerable that people who have served our country are potentially sleeping on the streets of our capital. And I say 'potentially' because, at the moment, we have no regularly collected data on veteran homelessness by local authorities in Wales. Will the First Minister consider working with his colleagues here and in local councils to look at putting in place robust data gathering and reporting of veteran homelessness in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf and, indeed, across Wales? Diolch yn fawr.

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