Simon Hart: The hon. and learned Lady rightly refers to the fact that the Chancellor may yet be making further comments about this particular issue, just as he did throughout the pandemic. For those who think that the Treasury is neither flexible nor conscious of these challenges, the fact is that there was ample evidence during the pandemic—and now, of course, during the current challenges we...
Simon Hart: Absolutely. I think most people believe that growing our way out of a cost of living challenge is infinitely preferable to spending our way out of a cost of living challenge. My hon. Friend is right to point out that we want to be flexible, rapid and generous. When there are occasions, as there inevitably will be for Members across the House, where individual constituents somehow do not fit...
Simon Hart: I suspect the hon. Lady reads the same news channels I read, so she will be aware that the Treasury will make a further announcement imminently. [Interruption.] She may be annoyed by my answer, but it is only reasonable that I suggest she waits until the Chancellor sets out precisely what his plans are. May I suggest that the hon. Lady applies equal pressure to her colleagues in Cardiff? They...
Simon Hart: The hon. Lady clearly did not listen, or did not want to listen, to my previous answer. When we know the Chancellor is about to make a statement in the Chamber on all these issues, would it not be more sensible to allow the Treasury to spell out exactly what its plans are and how they will benefit businesses and individual families in Wales before making such highly politicised comments?
Simon Hart: I will definitely speak to the Chancellor, as I often do about these things. Perhaps I could suggest a deal to the right hon. Lady: I will speak to the Chancellor to get further information if she will speak to her leader in Cardiff to get him to call off the dogs by cancelling the tourism tax that the Welsh Government want to impose on businesses, causing further hardship for people in her...
Simon Hart: I despair sometimes, with the greatest respect. I urge the right hon. Lady to wait, for what should not be a great deal more time, to hear precisely what we have in store on the cost of living challenges. I remind her that, throughout the pandemic and the cost of living challenges, the Treasury has been unbelievably flexible, unbelievably adaptable and, in some respects, unbelievably...
Simon Hart: I have had no discussions with the Welsh Government on the proposals.
Simon Hart: It is mystifying that this proposal was announced on the same day as the Queen’s Speech. It will impose a £100 million burden on Welsh taxpayers and demolish a voting system that has served us well for years, and there has been no consultation with any voters at all. Even the Lib Dems describe it as a stitch-up.
Simon Hart: Indeed, I do. I have to say that if this Government were making suggestions of that nature that involved the constitution and voting measures, pretty well all Opposition Members would be saying that that should be subject to a public referendum at the very least. I suggest that the proper course of action for the Welsh Government is to seek the approval of their voters before they proceed...
Simon Hart: My colleagues and I are aware that the number of people on universal credit has fallen both in Rhondda and across Wales over the past year. We will continue delivering for residents through schemes such as in-work progression, kickstart and our plan for jobs.
Simon Hart: The Chancellor will make interventions clear in due course. The context to the hon. Gentleman’s perfectly reasonable question is that there has been a 7% increase in the number of people in work in Rhondda and the number of people who are unemployed in Wales is down 23,000 in the past year—he did not mention that. I very much hope that the increases in the national living wage and the...
Simon Hart: On that particular point, I agree with my hon. Friend—I would probably describe him as my permanent friend. It is perfectly right that we wait and see what the Chancellor says. We have tried to set out short, medium and long-term measures that will help with the current challenge and we will of course hear more in due course.
Simon Hart: I have regular discussions with the First Minister of Wales on a range of issues, including how Wales’s £585 million share of the UK shared prosperity fund will level up communities across our country.
Simon Hart: Unsurprisingly, I contest the hon. Gentleman’s assertion. I would just say this: by 2024-25, the annual funding from the shared prosperity fund will match the average annual funding that Wales would have received from the European Regional Development Fund after adjusting for inflation. If he does not take that from me, or does not believe me, I can tell him that it is from Guto Ifan,...
Simon Hart: I have regular discussions with colleagues in the Welsh Government on a wide range of subjects. Owing to the range of topics covered by this question, I will address each point in turn. (a): DEFRA holds regular discussions with the devolved administrations – including the Welsh Government – through an Animal Welfare Policy Group. This group provides a key strategic policy and regulatory...
Simon Hart: The legislative programme for the third session was outlined at the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday 10 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Wales. It does not include draft bills, Law Commission bills or Finance Bills. People in Wales have benefited from our UK-wide £400 billion package of support during the pandemic which has protected over...
Simon Hart: Wales Office Ministers have had no discussions to date with the Welsh Government in regard to the Clean Air (Wales) Bill.
Simon Hart: While immigration is a reserved matter, representatives from across Government have met with counterparts in the Welsh Government regarding the New Plan for Immigration announcements and will continue to do so as part of regular engagement with the Devolved Administrations. This is part of the United Kingdom’s plan to address the international challenge of illegal migration, control our...
Simon Hart: There are six full-time communications staff employed by the office. One further member of staff works part-time. Of the six full-time staff members, one has formal flexible working arrangements although all staff members have the option to work flexibly.
Simon Hart: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters, including on matters relating to public service broadcasting and the ownership of Channel 4. The Government consulted extensively on a change of ownership of Channel 4, and the views and evidence gathered from a wide range of stakeholders – including from stakeholders in Wales – have informed the Government’s...