Neil McEvoy: Thank you. The figures you came out with about the percentages of females on local councils: it’s a big problem. I just want to reiterate what I said earlier and maybe get your support, because what is happening in local government is that people are being treated so badly—women councillors followed around, shouted at, abused—and, unless you react well in a bear pit, then you’re not...
Neil McEvoy: Okay, I’ll bring my remarks to a close, and I’ll finish on racism, which I know all about. To be honest, I think from the age of four I’ve known what it’s like to appear different and to have slightly darker skin and be treated in a different way because of that. And I’m appealing now, without attacking anybody, I’m appealing for some responsibility across the whole spectrum of...
Neil McEvoy: There is a larger proportion, but if you look at the Home Office figures, it’s fairly clear there’s a large percentage of men, albeit a minority—I concede that. But also, one issue in south Wales, if you’re a male, is it’s very difficult to persuade the police to accept a complaint. I’ve stood next to people and complaints have not been accepted. In terms of the victims, when they...
Neil McEvoy: Yes, I will.
Neil McEvoy: I think we live in a very unequal Wales. I’m going to flag up some of the issues here. I think violence is violence, abuse is abuse, and I oppose all forms of abuse. If we look at the document in relation to domestic violence, there is no mention of men in the objectives. If you look at the figures, I think it’s one in four females are victims of domestic abuse; one in six males are also...
Neil McEvoy: There are three things. First of all, I wonder if you can provide a Government statement on, ideally, supporting a new train station at Mynachdy. There’s no bus service to the station, in relation to the metro. The location would be by the coal sidings. The second one is a statement about Anaya Aid, a charity run totally by volunteers; it is a real charity. I think it’s the only charity...
Neil McEvoy: Okay, thank you, Llywydd, for your clarification. So, we do have an opportunity to bring it back, it seems. But too many veterans are struggling for healthcare, struggling for housing, and especially, as the colleague across the Chamber said, for mental health care. Local authorities don’t have to give veterans priority. Now, the reality is that we don’t leave soldiers behind on the...
Neil McEvoy: First Minister, I wonder if you know that I submitted a motion, as a Member’s legislative proposal, to bring about a ‘no soldier left behind’ Act. But the Business Committee decided not to support it at this time. But the fact is, there are just too many veterans coming to my surgery—
Neil McEvoy: I declare an interest, because some of the matters will touch on Cardiff, and I’m a Cardiff councillor. I’d also like to wish everybody ‘Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen hapus’—happy Santes Dwynwen Day. I hope everyone’s taking their partner out tonight and will treat them very well to a meal and so on. Back to this—green cities. I welcome the debate on green cities. My party will be...
Neil McEvoy: Okay. The problem is—and this comes from people in the service—that there have been times over the last 12 months in Cardiff when there has been no doctor available at all in the out-of-hours general practice service. What can be done to make sure that that doesn’t happen in future?
Neil McEvoy: I declare an interest because I drive on these roads and I’m a member of Cardiff council. I find it incredible that Julie Morgan is talking about plans to reduce road congestion when she supports Cardiff’s local destruction plan, which would put 10,000 extra cars on the road. So, Cabinet Secretary, maybe you can explain and maybe enlighten the public as to how a local development plan...
Neil McEvoy: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on out of hours GP services in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0099(HWS)
Neil McEvoy: Diolch. Do you not think that it’s ironic that your leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was talking about a rigged system this month, because, in Wales, it’s Labour that’s rigged the system? You shipped in David Goldstone, a Labour donor, to stay in the Hilton as an adviser. You splurged millions on Kancoat; it had a weak business case, but just happened to be next to the former Minister’s...
Neil McEvoy: 8. What percentage of the Welsh Government's budget is allocated to the prevention of fraud? OAQ(5)0385(FM)
Neil McEvoy: I’m looking for three statements from the Cabinet Secretary. The first one is on the use of the ministerial car dispatched to Mayfair to collect and deposit the Labour millionaire David Goldstone. We’d like to know when, at what cost and why the limousine was dispatched. Secondly, we’re looking for a statement on the Heath hospital and what will be done to stop or to prevent staff...
Neil McEvoy: Will the Minister formally place on the record my thanks to officials, to police and to members of the public for support after the burglary of my constituency office? Members may be interested to know that there’s no actual back entrance; the burglars had to go seven doors down, go through a door, go down the end of a lane, turn left, know to go through the shed-like structure through...
Neil McEvoy: Okay. I’m coming to that. The idea of the market—. For example—. I’ll give you an example of awarding bodies. You’ve got several awarding bodies all competing for business. What’s the natural thing to do? To make passes easier. And then, when you’re sat in a classroom with other teachers, you will choose the board where you’re more likely to get a pass. That’s the problem...
Neil McEvoy: What I would like to see is a commission for education, because, with the best will in the world, you’re not going to solve the problems of the education system over the next five years. So, what you need to do is sit down with people from every political party, teachers from all over Wales, all different sectors, and discuss what people want and where we want to go. In terms of being a...
Neil McEvoy: I can give way, if you like.
Neil McEvoy: I’ll declare an interest as somebody who has 25 years’ experience, in the classroom and outside of the classroom, in teaching. If we go right the way back to 1997, I think it was a really positive thing for the Labour Government to legislate to bring class sizes down to 30. But really, since 1999, I think what we have in Wales is a legacy of failure. Each education Minister...
