David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, can I ask for two statements today? One is from the Cabinet Secretary for environment in relation to the issuing of guidance and strengthening the guidance to local planning authorities when it comes to opencast mining, because we might be in a situation in my constituency where, once again, on the Parc Slip site, the application currently is to delay restoration. When they...
David Rees: I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Do you therefore welcome the input of European money into the development of skills, particularly the Master’s level skills that came through that programme? We now have far more graduates and Master’s graduates as a consequence of their investment.
David Rees: Will you take an intervention?
David Rees: I thank you for taking the intervention. You mentioned steel, so, me, so—. Clearly, are you as disappointed, and perhaps disgusted, as I am at the lack of emphasis on steel, a foundation industry here in the UK, in that industrial strategy, and that, in fact, to date, the UK Government’s done very little to support the steel industry? It’s the Welsh Government that’s been doing it,...
David Rees: Leader of the house, I’d just like to expand a little on the leader of the Conservatives’ point on enterprise zones. Clearly, enterprise zones were introduced in the fourth Assembly, and it is important that we understand the progress that is being made on enterprise zones. So, can you ask the Cabinet Secretary for infrastructure and economy to actually produce a progress update on...
David Rees: First Minister, Port Talbot had a station that had terrible disabled access and, after many, many years of campaigning, particularly by my predecessor, Brian Gibbons, the station improvement grant was allocated to ensure that Port Talbot became upgraded, and I'm sure you welcome the changes that we now see in Port Talbot for disabled access and disabled facilities on the station. However,...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, obviously resilient communities also depend upon not just the three factors you mentioned but also the health and well-being of those communities to ensure they’re in a position to take advantage of all the other aspects. To that end, Communities First at the moment has an element of health and well-being within it, and you’ve said in a previous statement that you’re...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, clearly, the deputy director of the children’s and families division has actually highlighted the key criteria for children’s zones, particularly multi-agency work, the anchor companies and the organisations, and the third sector play an important part in that. Now, you’ve received the bids. Will you ensure that the bids actually meet those criteria, to ensure that...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, I thank you for the answer you’ve just given and the indication that you’re going to be announcing shortly the decision on the consultation. Obviously, when the Green Paper came out, there were deep concerns from anglers in relation to the impact it would have on fishing stocks and breeding times. And perhaps the question of ‘responsible’ access is the important...
David Rees: First Minister, you’ve just mentioned steel there, and are you as disappointed as I was when I read through the industrial plan from the UK Government that there’s very little reflection on steel? In fact, it reflects, perhaps, their whole approach to steel—non-existent, effectively. Will you look at the industrial strategy, because manufacturing is 16 per cent of the gross value added...
David Rees: As has already been said this afternoon, there are many people in Wales who have been infected with either HIV or hepatitis C as a consequence of contaminated blood products, which came to them as treatment, and, as Hefin David pointed out, on many occasions as young children. Sadly, many of those infected have passed away. The pain of the families that have lost loved ones has not gone away,...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, one of the ways to actually reduce the pressure on A&E units is to look at how the minor injuries units can be used effectively. Now, in Neath Port Talbot and in Singleton at the moment, there is consultation going on about reducing the hours, but part of the problem is the staffing and resourcing of those units. What action is the Welsh Government taking to actually...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, your predecessor introduced enterprise zones as a means of actually growing the economy in particular areas across Wales and, last year, she introduced an enterprise zone in Port Talbot. What are you doing with your colleagues to ensure that the enhanced capital allowances can be extended beyond the time we’ve already been given, so that the enterprise zone, which we all...
David Rees: To date, the confidence in the workforce has been shattered—I’ve said this many times to the First Minister and you. Will you also join me, perhaps, in calling for the new chair of Tata Sons to make a public statement to try and start that rebuilding of confidence in what they say?
David Rees: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for giving way on this particular point. The importance, in the run-up to any ballot, is confidence.
David Rees: I’ll give way, yes.
David Rees: I think the motion’s second point actually highlights that working together is important. The motion’s first point actually says the Government should replace the unions in the negotiations. So, it’s actually a separation—a mixture of the two. 2016 saw Brexit, Trump and an increasingly belligerent Russia. In 2017, we’re already seeing challenges with China and the trading world by...
David Rees: Can I start my contribution by declaring that I’m a proud member of Unite, one of the unions that’s obviously represented in the steelworks, along with Community and GMB? I hope by now that Members in this Chamber will be aware of my passion for the steel industry, my belief in a strong, vibrant future, my respect for the steelworkers, and my total commitment to them, their families and...
David Rees: I thank the Member for allowing me an intervention. Do you accept the fact that—you talk about the roadshows—there are trade union representatives also at those roadshows, presenting information to the attendees as well? So, the trade unions are actually presenting information to members if they attend the roadshows as well.
David Rees: It’s true.
