PUBLIC SERVICES: The Welsh government called on Jeremy Hunt today to increase funding for public services and help those struggling the most in the cost-of-living crisis.

Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “The priority for the Chancellor must be making the critical investment required for public services on which we all rely, including increased funding for pay and public-sector pensions costs. 

COAL LEGACY: Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell asked the First Minister today to challenge the Westminster government’s “terrible” environmental legacy of coal tips in Wales and get them to pay towards making them safe. 

Mark Drakeford said the Welsh government is spending £44 million towards making tips safe and asked Westminster to pay £22m. The refusal to pay is “in clear breach of their legal obligations,” Mr Drakeford said.

LOCAL HOMES: Welsh language campaigners today called on the Eryri (formerly Snowden) National Park Authority to take urgent action to tackle the inequality of the housing market in the area.

Tomorrow’s authority’s planning committee meeting will consider the introduction of a directive to make planning permission mandatory before changing the use of a property from being a main home to a second home or short-term letting accommodation.

COVID INQUIRY: A rowdy First Minister’s questions today heard Mark Drakeford decline to answer questions ahead of his evidence to the Covid Inquiry about disappearing WhatsApp messages.

The UK Covid Inquiry is in Wales and has heard that Mr Drakeford’s adviser Jane Runeckles had set her phone to delete messages; the then permanent secretary Dame Shan Morgan also admitted she deleted messages.