📜 Oral Answers to Questions

• Visitor Levy in Wales:
  • The Welsh Government is considering a visitor levy, allowing local councils to introduce a small charge on tourists.
  • This money would be reinvested into tourism infrastructure, helping to develop and maintain attractions.
  • Concerns were raised about potential negative impacts on the Welsh economy and domestic tourism.
  • The UK Government has no plans for a similar tax across England, despite some Conservative councils supporting similar measures.
• Economic Growth in Wales:
  • A primary focus of the UK Government is boosting economic growth across all regions, including Wales.
  • Initiatives include £320 million funding for two investment zones and support for Welsh freeports, aiming to attract billions in private investment and create over 20,000 jobs.
  • Discussions were highlighted on harnessing artificial intelligence to stimulate economic growth, with plans for AI growth zones.
  • The importance of economic collaboration between Wales and other UK regions, particularly Northern Ireland, was emphasized.
• Crime Prevention in Wales:
  • The Government plans to add 13,000 police officers, PCSOs, and special constables across the UK, including in Wales, to improve crime prevention.
  • Specific initiatives aimed at reducing violence against women and girls, including specialist teams in police forces and domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms.
  • A stronger focus on preventing rural crime was mentioned, with a call for a consistent UK-wide approach.
• NHS Reform in Wales:
  • The Welsh Government has been given an additional £1.7 billion from the UK budget to invest in services like the NHS.
  • Efforts are concentrated on reducing waiting lists through close collaboration between UK and Welsh Governments, including sharing best practices.
  • Criticism was raised regarding the state of the Welsh NHS, with calls for a clearer plan to address ongoing issues.
• Strengthening the Union:
  • The Government is promoting closer collaboration between UK and Welsh Governments to deliver services and stimulate economic growth.
  • Initiatives include working on the NHS, rail, and establishing freeports and investment zones to create job opportunities.
• Job Creation in Wales:
  • Over £1 billion in private investment from companies like Eren Holding and Kellogg’s has been driven into Wales, creating over 400 high-quality jobs.
  • The Government signed a memorandum with the Welsh Government to further economic growth and job creation in regions like Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr.
  • The Wrexham and Flintshire investment zone is expected to bring £1 billion of private investment and create up to 6,000 jobs.
• Greyhound Racing in Wales:
  • The issue of banning greyhound racing in Wales was discussed, highlighting animal welfare concerns.
  • While the issue is devolved to the Welsh Government, there’s a strong commitment to improve animal welfare across the country.
• Net Zero Targets in Wales:
  • Collaboration between the Welsh Secretary and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero aims to meet net zero targets.
  • Plans include supporting various green energy projects like floating offshore wind and hydrogen to stimulate economic growth and job creation.
• Prime Minister’s Engagements and Economic Growth:
  • The Prime Minister noted the importance of economic growth across the UK, with new projects like the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and support for a new Heathrow runway.
  • The pension increase under the triple lock was confirmed, ensuring pensioners receive more without means-testing.
  • Criticisms of the government’s employment Bill were addressed, emphasizing support for workers’ rights as crucial for economic growth.
  • The PM responded to various local issues, from hospital rebuild delays to promoting economic growth initiatives, reaffirming commitment to address challenges left by the previous government.

The parliamentary session displays a moderate level of disagreement, primarily centered around policy critiques and contrasting views on economic and public service issues. This rating of 3 reflects both the presence of clear disagreements and moments of agreement or non-confrontational dialogue.

Here are some examples of the disagreement and the reasoning for the rating:

1. Visitor Levy Discussions: There is notable disagreement over the proposed visitor levy in Wales. Conservative MPs like Charlie Dewhirst, Blake Stephenson, and Andrew Rosindell express concern about its potential negative impact on tourism and the broader economy. The Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, counters these concerns by emphasizing the policy’s international precedent and potential benefits to the tourism sector, even pointing out that Conservative councils have supported similar measures.

2. Economic Growth: While there are instances of agreement on the importance of economic growth, such as in the discussion on freeports and AI growth zones, there is disagreement regarding specific policies. Liz Saville Roberts from Plaid Cymru challenges the government’s policies, arguing that rejoining the single market could boost economic growth and alleviate pressure on universities. Jo Stevens rejects this idea, focusing instead on the importance of maintaining the UK’s cohesion.

3. Crime Prevention and NHS Reform: In discussions on crime prevention and NHS reform, disagreements are evident, though less intense than in the economic policy debates. Catherine Fookes expresses concerns over domestic abuse support, and Mims Davies criticizes the government’s approach to NHS waiting lists and the broader management of public services. Jo Stevens defends the government’s efforts and criticizes the previous Conservative government’s actions.

4. Employment Bill and Growth Test: Significant disagreement arises during the Prime Minister’s engagements, particularly when the Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, challenges the Prime Minister on the employment Bill. She argues that the Bill will hinder economic growth, using strong rhetoric and accusing the government of anti-business policies. The Prime Minister strongly rebuffs these claims, defending the policy’s positive impact on workers and economic growth.

5. Hospital Rebuilds and Infrastructure: There is disagreement over the delay in hospital rebuilds. Liberal Democrats criticize the timeline and suggest that it reflects poor planning and investment by the current government. The Prime Minister counters by attributing delays to the previous government’s unfunded promises, showcasing a partisan blame-shifting.

While these disagreements are significant and squarely laid out, the session also contains instances where MPs from different parties express agreement or neutral exchanges, such as on economic opportunities presented by AI, freeports, and the tribute to Holocaust survivors. These instances temper the overall degree of contention, resulting in a 3 out of 5 rating for disagreement.