, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
How it happens, yes.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
And does it have an impact then, obviously, on legislation? Because if there are any reductions in headcount, or reallocation of time, does it affect what we do here, as in the ability of the Welsh Government and your legislative programme? Does it have any…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
But then there are some changes in the final budget, though, aren't there, for next year now as well, I think.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
So, it doesn't have any knock-on effect into next year, into the baseline and—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
So, that part is the civil service costs, effectively, isn't it?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Rhianon.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
I think Mike would like to come in there. We're all cutting across you today, Rhianon—sorry about that. Mike, go for it.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Thank you, Rhianon. Sorry to cut across there, but—. Oh, hang on. Can we just—? There we are, you're unmuted. Go ahead.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
But, obviously, the knock-on effect is, if the money doesn't come from the RSG or from grants, then it comes from local taxation in council tax, and we're seeing big numbers of council tax rises in certain parts of the country, so they're interrelated: if it…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
And then, in those discussions between Ministers, do you then have a wider discussion then with the Welsh Local Government Association, to understand the implications of decisions made at that level to local government leaders and portfolio holders and that…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
If I may, before I bring Rhianon back in, with education spend in particular—and obviously negotiations go on between unions and the Minister with regard to pay and pension contributions and that sort of thing—what element of that is taken into account when…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Yes.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Thank you. I'll bring Rhianon in at that point. Could we unmute Rhianon? There we are, you're unmuted now.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Obviously, we're on a pretty tight reporting deadline on this, but obviously if that comes beyond that timescale—. Because obviously we have to report because we're discussing this supplementary budget in a couple of weeks' time. So, we have to report before…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Okay, thank you. I'll bring Peter Fox in, then, please.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Any more questions, Mike, or are you happy with that?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Diolch yn fawr. I'll go back to Mike, then, please, if we could.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Right. Okay. Thank you. Rhianon, did you want to ask a question on that?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Just before I bring Mike back in, the cause of that was the impact of decisions made in Westminster about what was devolved and what was not. Is that right? Or was it just the quantum that was coming through? What drove that late—?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Thank you very much. I'll bring Mike Hedges in at that point. If we could unmute Mike. Mike's unmuted. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Well, it's the assumptions that you made in December 2022, so what's the—?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Thank you very much. And finally from me for now: we're coming up to the end of the financial year and the majority of the pay awards are settled. What assessment have you made of additional staffing costs in different portfolio areas, compared to the…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Thank you very much. The decisions you've made in this supplementary budget help in terms of reducing the budget pressures and the demands going forward. Given the stark funding position going into 2024-25, are there any knock-on effects from this…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
I'm just trying to understand the process you go through to get to that point.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Second Supplementary Budget 2023-24
There is variance, because, obviously, you've found underspends.
