Neil McEvoy: This week, once again, in Cardiff council, we’ve seen a councillor resign. We have—[Interruption.] Well you may well—. [Interruption.] With—
Neil McEvoy: With the greatest of respect, I’m raising a very important issue of female politicians in this city being bullied. I’ll declare an interest, because I’m a councillor on that authority. This is the third time that I’ve raised this matter. Yet another female has resigned. There are headlines in today’s paper that she was visited at 9.30 p.m., at night, at home, and lots of other...
Neil McEvoy: First Minister, in Europe, 460,000 people die prematurely each year from air pollution. Worldwide, the figure is 6.5 million. In Wales, thousands die every year, and the World Health Organization lists Cardiff as one of the worst areas for air pollution. Now, Labour’s plans for Cardiff include putting 10,000 extra cars on the roads. So, how is this consistent with the goals of the...
Neil McEvoy: Thanks. I’ve given way once. [Continues.]—£30,000 on newspapers and they spent £60,000 on a conference called Core Cities. Those political decisions taken by your colleagues, with silence from you, have closed my youth centre. So, I’ve given you £90,000, which we would’ve spent differently. It’s the same principle with what is happening here. You have decided to spend tens of...
Neil McEvoy: I will, yes.
Neil McEvoy: Well, you could easily have asked the same of your colleague who is the finance Minister, when he did three jobs at the same time—Minister, AM and also a further education lecturer. My position on my allowance is quite clear: next year, it’s going to my community. But, to return to the throwing away of millions of pounds—millions of pounds—I’ve just flagged up to you where you have...
Neil McEvoy: I think what we’ve done here is make the best of a bad job, really. We all know of the situation from Westminster with the cuts coming from London, but I think people here have to realise that you over there are elected to be the Government, and you need to take responsibility. What I find ironic, really, is that people in the lead administration don’t even want the authority to change...
Neil McEvoy: Okay. Thanks, First Minister. Well, last week, you described this as a nonsense; it clearly isn’t. So, first of all, will you accept that you were wrong last week? And I’ll re-pose the question that I asked last week: will you support, in this Chamber, saving Cardiff greenfield sites by voting to revoke the LDP?
Neil McEvoy: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on Section 68 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004? OAQ(5)0318(FM)
Neil McEvoy: Deaf people have a right to access education. I’ve had concerns brought to me by constituents that this isn’t really happening as it should and there are staff at only level 1 or level 2 signing. So, Cabinet Secretary, would you please engage with British Sign Language students who have passed level 6 to work in the education sector, so that we can try and improve matters of access?
Neil McEvoy: Would you give way, Minister?
Neil McEvoy: Could the Minister explain how recycling is divided up from landfill and how the percentage of recycling is worked out? It’s very relevant to the overall figures.
Neil McEvoy: I’m looking for a statement from the Minister for local government about the survey that I raised last week of all female councillors. There was another resignation yesterday of another female councillor from Cardiff council. The Labour group across the way has now lost more than a third of female members, and a council member contacted me today to talk of the ritual sexist abuse that she...
Neil McEvoy: Thank you. Diolch. I’ve fought racism all my life. I do not think it's acceptable for the First Minister of Wales to use such irresponsible language. Under 13.9(iv): it was discourteous; 13.9(v): it was offensive to somebody, especially with my background, and it has detracted from the dignity of this Assembly.
Neil McEvoy: Thank you. Diolch.
Neil McEvoy: My sincere thanks, Llywydd. Rwyf yn codi pwynt o drefn o dan 13.9 (iv) a 13.9 (v). Rwy’n dod o gefndir Gwyddelig-Seisnig, a daeth fy nhaid i Gaerdydd ar gwch o'r Yemen. Awgrymodd y Prif Weinidog fy mod i rywsut yn erbyn mewnfudo, ac fe’m cyhuddodd o beidio â hoffi mewnfudwyr. Rwyf wedi ymdrin â hiliaeth ar hyd fy oes. Rwyf wedi ymladd yn erbyn hiliaeth ar hyd fy oes, ac nid yw'n...
Neil McEvoy: Will you appoint an interim board to take things forward and will you accept concerns from wider afield, from, maybe, organisations interacting with the body already? And I suppose my main question is: how can we arrive at this point where the organisation’s board was suspended last week? Shouldn’t these things have been resolved before coming to this point?
Neil McEvoy: First Minister, your Government’s role in Cardiff’s LDP is the plan to dump thousands of dwellings on our countryside. Cardiff Plaid will make sure that Cardiff council passes a motion to demand that the Assembly revokes Cardiff’s local destruction plan. Will you support that motion to save Cardiff’s green fields?
Neil McEvoy: First Minister, I’ve had countless constituents write to me about business rates—small business holders, people running independent shops—and they’re all telling me that your Government’s business rates are threatening their businesses, may lead them to close or, certainly, lay people off. Why are you hurting small businesses in my region?
Neil McEvoy: A point of order.