NDM8492 - Government Debate
Withdrawn Tabled on 20/02/2024 | For debate on 27/02/2024To propose that the Senedd:
1. Recognises that the Welsh Government’s fiscal flexibilities are insufficient and constrain its ability to deal with the unprecedented pressures and uncertainty facing Wales, including responding quickly and effectively to emerging needs and opportunities.
2. Recognises the Welsh Government is dependent on UK Government decisions and timings, and the need for greater predictability and certainty of the Welsh Government’s funding arrangements to support its budget planning and that of partner organisations, including local authorities.
3. Acknowledges that the Welsh Government Reserve and borrowing limits are the same as when they were set in 2016 and, in 2024-25, will be worth 23% less in real terms than when they were introduced in 2018-19.
4. Notes the lack of fairness and consistency regarding the UK Government’s decisions on devolved government funding flexibilities and that the Welsh Government’s arrangements are significantly less generous than Scotland’s and its capital borrowing arrangements far less generous than Northern Ireland’s.
5. Calls upon the UK Government to provide greater fiscal flexibilities for the Welsh Government, in the interests of effective budget management, enabling greater investment and delivering better outcomes for the people of Wales, including immediately:
a) indexing the Welsh Government’s borrowing and overall reserve limits to inflation; and
b) abolishing the Welsh Government’s reserve draw-down limits.
Tabled By
Amendments
Delete all and replace with:
1. Recognises that the Welsh Government's fiscal levers are limited.
2. Notes that the budgetary flexibilities available to the Welsh Government are insufficient.
3. Recognises the need for greater predictability and certainty of the Welsh Government’s funding arrangements to support its budget planning and that of partner organisations.
4. Acknowledges that the Welsh Government Reserve and borrowing limits are the same as when they were set in 2016.
5. Calls upon the UK Government to provide greater fiscal flexibilities for the Welsh Government, in the interests of effective budget management, including immediately:
a) subjecting borrowing and overall reserve limits to annual review; and
b) abolishing reserve draw-down limits.
Tabled By
Add as new point after point 4 and renumber accordingly:
Regrets that Westminster's lack of fair funding and fiscal flexibility has led to billions of pounds which is owed from the funding of HS2 and the inability to invest in local energy generation using Crown Estate funds.
Tabled By
Add as new sub-point at end of point 5:
review the Barnett Formula to address the unfairness in Wales' current funding and financial settlement;
Tabled By
Add as new sub-point at end of point 5:
increase capital borrowing limits;
Tabled By
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls upon the Welsh Government and the Senedd to jointly explore new ways of analysing the flexibility and fiscal frameworks of the Welsh Government, and their impacts on Wales, for example by establishing a Parliamentary Budget Office.