TATA STEEL, tax and badger culls loomed large in questions to the First Minister today in the Senedd.

Reform UK leader Dan Thomas said it was disappointing for Welsh industry and jobs when Tata said there was a delay in the construction of the electric arc furnace at Port Talbot.

Mr Thomas wanted to know when the company told the Welsh government about the delay, and if it was before the company’s shareholders.

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said his minister for enterprise, Adam Price, had spoken with Tata Steel and his government would do everything it could to speed up the electric arc furnace installation.

Reform’s culture wars took centre stage when Mr Thomas asked about the Welsh government’s £9 million budget for overseas affairs, which the FM referred to as “small change” last week.

Mr Thomas said it should be spent on the NHS and asked for a guarantee that student nurses will get a job in Wales when they graduate.

“In terms of scales of spending on our overseas office, it’s not that much more, is it, than the leader of your party took to secure his own security, or was it to buy a house?” Mr ap Iorwerth responded.

“That is why my minister for health and care has already begun the work of ensuring that we are able to support students to have careers within the NHS.”

Welsh Labour interim leader Ken Skates wanted to know why the Plaid government wanted to “end the ban on killing badgers, which this Welsh Labour Party introduced and asked what method they would use to kill them.”

The FM tried to brush the question off as not serious, but said that his government would follow the science on eradicating TB.

“Science is very clear, First Minister. Please show us any science that contradicts the measures that Welsh Labour introduced,” Mr Skates said.

Reform’s Benjamin Hodge McKenna wanted to know what action would be taken to minimise the tax burden in Wales and whether the FM would commit to not raising any new taxes.

The FM said that devolved taxes make a significant contribution to the budget, providing £4.4 billion for vital public services and infrastructure in Wales, and said there will be no changes to income tax rates.