Huw Thomas \u2013 Labour\u2019s spokesperson for finance and democracy \u2013 questioned the minister on Plaid\u2019s funding formula review.<\/p>\n
The former Cardiff Council leader revealed he had received a written response from local government minister Sian Gwenllian, who said that as part of the government\u2019s funding formula review it is \u201creviewing the data on primary indicators\u201d such as \u201cthose relating to deprivation and sparsity of population\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Thomas said there are \u201chuge concerns\u201d in parts of Wales that Plaid will \u201ccopy what Rishi Sunak did in England and redistribute funding via the funding formula away from poorer urban areas towards relatively wealthier rural ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Caerdydd Penarth MS asked the minister what issues he has identified in the \u201cunderlying data and indicators\u201d that have prompted this review.<\/p>\n
In response, Dr Trystan Davies said: \u201cAs with all official statistics, the government keeps a close eye on the accuracy and effectiveness of that data to ensure that they are clearly and accurately reflected in the formulas.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spokesperson himself [Mr Thomas] comes from Aberystwyth and he knows full well that there are areas of significant poverty in rural Wales as well as industrial Wales.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cSetting those communities against each other is a disappointing approach from the spokesperson, I would suggest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Thomas noted in response that he \u201cdidn\u2019t hear\u201d the minister share \u201cwhat figures had pushed [him] to hold that review.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLittle substance\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Calls for a Welsh Covid inquiry came from both the Reform and Conservative benches in Tuesday\u2019s plenary.<\/p>\n Following his questions on Plaid Cymru\u2019s plans to argue for a change to the funding model for Wales, Mr Parry-Jones pressed the minister to confirm what actions his government will take to bring about a Welsh Covid review.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cResponding to the Covid inquiry\u2019s fifth report today, the First Minister rather vaguely said that Plaid remains committed to reviewing the Wales Covid response.<\/p>\n \u201cIn March, Plaid said it would hold a short, sharp and focused review of the Welsh Government\u2019s Covid response, a far cry from the full-fat all-Wales inquiry Plaid previously called for for years, including during your 2024 manifesto.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, following that u-turn, nobody knows what your review actually is \u2013 not when it\u2019s happening, not for how long, not even what elements of the Covid response it would focus on.<\/p>\n \u201cSurely, Minister, now is the time to make it clear to bereaved families what actions exactly your government is going to take.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr Trystan Davies said the government is committed to conducting a Covid review. He said: \u201cThat\u2019s what we said in our manifesto and that\u2019s what we intend to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pleased to say that I have already been in correspondence with the Covid Bereaved Families on our intentions and hope to arrange a meeting with them soon, because it\u2019s important that the voices of those who have suffered are part of that discussion and feed in to the work of government.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative MS for Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg, also pressed the minister on his inquiry plans.<\/p>\n Mr Davies said it was \u201cvital\u201d the government \u201csticks to their commitment\u201d and \u201cenacts a Covid inquiry \u2013 not a review\u201d.<\/p>\n He called on the minister to confirm that \u201cthe government\u2019s thinking, whatever emerges, will be set up under the Inquiries Act 2005, which would compel witnesses to come before that inquiry and give evidence\u201d.<\/p>\n Dr Trystan Davies reiterated that work is \u201cprogressing\u201d on the government\u2019s Covid review and noted he will be \u201cliaising closely\u201d with the bereaved families.<\/p>\n The Conservative MS thanked the minister for his \u201cwarm words\u201d but described the response as of \u201clittle substance\u201d.<\/p>\n Mr Davies said: \u201cThe reality is that we found out, with the Covid committee that was set up in the previous Senedd term, that unless witnesses were compelled to give evidence, that committee was thwarted in its endeavours to get to the truth.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, for example, the Covid inquiry reports that, on the FFP3 respirator masks that we were told Wales was well stocked with prior to the Covid pandemic in its emergency allocation, there wasn\u2019t a single mask in Wales available for the health service to use.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are the things we need to get to the core of as to what was not provided, what was mislaid, what was deliberately not ordered to save money, and what was not acted on on the emergency planning trials that were held prior to the Covid pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n He called on the Welsh Government to \u201cstick to your guns, stick to your morals, stick to the votes that you made prior to the Senedd election and have a full-blown inquiry that gets to the truth and, ultimately, prepares Wales for any future pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n Responding, Dr Trystan Davies said: \u201cReading the most recent module report on Covid brings home the sobering impact of Covid right across this country.<\/p>\n \u201cThose lessons must be learnt, and the review that we are committed to undertaking must have the ability to address those precise issues that you have set out and that is what we will seek to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ella Groves \u2013 ICNN Senedd Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n Spotted something?<\/strong> Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com<\/a><\/p>\n
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