South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has condemned Senedd ministers’ refusal to commit to passing on financial support to community pubs.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is widely anticipated to provide further support for community pubs in England, for which Senedd ministers will receive consequential funding.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Davies challenged First Minister Eluned Morgan to confirm that those monies would be directly passed on to pubs.
Ms Morgan refused, claiming “that’s not how devolution works”.
Instead, she said, “if and when we get that commitment, we’ll decide as a government where that priority goes”.
Mr Davies said failure to pass on the money would be “unconscionable”, pointing to how vital it would be to community pubs in his own area of the Vale of Glamorgan.
He warned of Senedd ministers’ record of wasting money on projects like Senedd expansion and the Nation of Sanctuary for asylum seekers.
He said diverting money meant for pubs to these projects would be “a disgrace”.
Mr Davies said:
“It’s deeply concerning to hear the First Minister refuse to commit to passing on financial support to pubs.
“In my own area of the Vale of Glamorgan, local pubs are struggling – Senedd ministers must ensure they get the support they’re owed.
“If Senedd ministers divert cash meant to help safeguard community assets to pay for more Senedd members or their Nation of Sanctuary for asylum seekers – it would be unforgivable.”
ENDS
NOTES:
Please find below the Senedd record of proceedings from Tuesday 20th January
https://record.senedd.wales/Plenary/15726#C740239
Andrew RT Davies
14:13:38
But community infrastructure investment is a vital part of any community, and the point that has been raised by numerous speakers here this afternoon about the cornerstone that the community pub plays in delivering that community infrastructure. I heard what you said in response to others. We are expecting the fourteenth u-turn from the Chancellor of the Exchequer in relation to business rates in England and the support that she’s prepared to put on the table to support pubs in England, so when that announcement comes, will you commit this afternoon to directly passing on any consequential moneys that arrive in the Welsh Treasury to support the community pub here in Wales, to make sure they stay a cornerstone of our communities, whether that be in Taff Ely or across the rest of Wales?
Eluned Morgan
14:14:48
In relation to the commitment that the UK Chancellor has made on supporting pubs, until we get that clarity on what is being offered, I cannot make that commitment, and obviously, that is not the way devolution works. When, and if, we get that commitment, we will consider, as a Government, where that priority goes.
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