David Rees: I thank the Member for taking the intervention. Do you therefore agree that it’s important that we reuse that waste gas, and that it’s important therefore that we keep the heavy end in the steelworks to actually produce that waste gas, so that the integrated works stays as an integrated works?
David Rees: Will you take an intervention?
David Rees: Thank you for taking the intervention. Do you therefore regret the role UKIP MEPs took in 2014 when they didn’t support the modernisation and movement of trade tariff and trade defence mechanisms? The words were, by a UKIP representative: ‘UKIP does not vote for the EU doing things on our behalf.’ They did not care for the steel industry.
David Rees: Minister, I’m very pleased to hear the answer you’ve just given to Bethan Jenkins in relation to the strategy that’s been in place. However, a strategy is a strategy and there are no legal obligations upon authorities and public bodies and that’s one of the consequences of the autism Act. I’ve met with many parents who have actually struggled to get services for their children,...
David Rees: What actions are being taken by the Welsh Government to increase support to children with additional learning needs?
David Rees: Thank you for giving way. I agree with you totally and I have no arguments, but do you also think there’s a need to train the doctors that are already in place because some of them have a lack of understanding sometimes on some of the issues people come to them with? So, it’s the training of those already in place, as well as more.
David Rees: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I’ll be very, very quick. [Laughter.] Can I thank the Member first of all for bringing this important issue to the Chamber, because what we are doing is providing opportunities for our young children in new, modern facilities to ensure that they’re able to develop into the twenty-first century? Cabinet Secretary, I just want to ask one thing. I’ll be quick. The...
David Rees: Thank you for taking the intervention and before you go on to the Cardiff development plan again, you mentioned that there were warm words from me, as an example. Do you not agree that the Labour authority in Neath Port Talbot and the Labour Government have taken action to monitor the quality of air in Port Talbot to ensure there’s a plan in place so that we can ensure that that comes down,...
David Rees: Will you take an intervention on that point?
David Rees: I will defend the bad air in the sense that, clearly, there are very few occasions when the wind is blowing in the direction of Swansea; it mostly actually comes off the coast into Port Talbot.
David Rees: Diolch, Lywydd—Dirprwy Lywydd, sorry. I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate. Air pollution can have extremely detrimental effects on our health, as has already been mentioned by several speakers. It’s associated with a wide variety of respiratory and inflammatory conditions, as particulates, including sulphates, nitrates and black carbon, penetrate the cardiovascular...
David Rees: Thank you for taking the intervention. It’s actually 9.5 on, I think, a scale of 10. There’s a scale that is allocated, and 9.5 is in that scale. So, it’s the highest value.
David Rees: Second.
David Rees: Can I make an intervention? You’ve just highlighted the possibility of putting tariffs upon imported steel into the UK. That clearly will put tariffs on exporting steel from the UK as a consequence. Since over 50 per cent of the steel in Port Talbot actually goes to the EU, are you therefore closing down Port Talbot by the introduction of such tariffs?
David Rees: Will you take an intervention on steel?
David Rees: On steel.
David Rees: Adapting services for an increasingly ageing population, particularly in deprived communities, is one of the key challenges for our public services. Our population is steadily growing, but is also steadily ageing. Recent statistics from the NHS Confederation show that, across the UK, the population of over-65s will rise to nearly 18 million in 20 years’ time, with the population of over-85s...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, many community regeneration projects within my constituency have been supported by EU funding, from Briton Ferry and Sandfields up to the Afan valley. They vary from supporting people moving back into work to building centres for community activities. These have been essential to strengthening those communities. However, many now face further challenges due to austerity...
David Rees: Following on from that question, obviously the air quality in Port Talbot, Cabinet Secretary, has been recognised to be one of the worst in Wales. In fact, a World Health Organization report recently published said that it was the worst in the UK for some particulates, and definitely one of the worst in the UK. I understand the issues we have. We have a heavy industrial area, we have a narrow...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, the climate strategy also sets targets for improving energy efficiency within our homes. Part of the approach to achieving this includes external cladding of some of those buildings being widely used, but also on pre-1919 stock, which are mainly solid block or solid wall buildings. The external cladding, whilst providing energy efficiency for those properties, may also...
