David Melding: On the extension of the franchise, I do think this is a matter that requires careful examination, although there are certainly clear examples around the world of the benefits of lowering the age of voting to 16, or the eligibility to 16. That captures that part of the population obviously that are going to live with the more profound decisions that are taken for them, but also in terms of...
David Melding: We welcome the introduction of this Bill. It is an important recognition of the status of the Senedd as a legislature, as the Counsel General also indicated. So, it's an important landmark. And I think that those of us who have served—as you have, in the Chair at the moment, Deputy Presiding Officer—since 1999, it's almost like we've been in this huge constitutional convention, when we...
David Melding: I think it is a matter for the UK Government and the Welsh Government working together, and a particular difficulty, I think, comes from short sentences, and we've seen an increase in the number of people subjected to short sentences, very often for offences that do not include violence against the person, for instance. Obviously, if we use community punishments, there is a much greater...
David Melding: Thank you for that answer. I wonder if you read the evidence from representatives of the University of Edinburgh, the Institute for Government and the University of Sussex, where those witnesses expressed considerable reservation on any power for the devolved institutions to have a veto over trade deals, and one of the witnesses expressly warned that that was a potentially dangerous process,...
David Melding: Apposite to that, I think the major regeneration for Porth town centre, which is currently being considered by RCT council, includes a new transport hub and station quarter, and that would link into the south Wales metro. We know that we have many cases in Wales where bus and rail stations are in separate locations, timetables are not synchronised and there are restrictions on taking, for...
David Melding: 5. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the evidence received so far by the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee during its ‘Brexit, trade and customs: implications for Wales’ inquiry? OAQ53394
David Melding: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact that current trends in retail sales will have on the wider Welsh economy?
David Melding: First Minister, last week the UK Government announced one of the largest mental health trials in the world to find out what can be done differently to improve young people's mental health and well-being. Three hundred and seventy English schools will take part in these trials, testing different approaches, while nine areas will trial new ways of ensuring children entering care get the mental...
David Melding: 1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to increase the provision of mental health support for young people? OAQ53395
David Melding: Can I thank Hefin for bringing this subject to the Assembly today and really wish the Caerphilly campaign well? Last week, I facilitated the deposit-return scheme machine, which was on display. I think many Members came along and tested it out. And it is really, really easy to use—I can just see us all getting into a habit of using that, lots of small children wanting to put the bottles...
David Melding: Thank you, Llywydd. Minister, in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, for non-emergency outpatient appointments, the non-attendance rate is now over 10 per cent. I noticed in England one of the things they do with sending texts—and it may be what we do, but could you just inform me—is that they do provide a rough estimate of the cost of a missed appointment, and then do that on an...
David Melding: Minister, I was encouraged to hear about some of the direct consultation mechanisms you are using to get the views of young people on the curriculum and its development, and I applaud what you've done there. I would like to hear whether anything's been done with the school councils, because they're in a very good place to do some really deep deliberative work where they actually take control...
David Melding: I would like to start with areas of what I think are profound agreement, probably, across the Chamber, on this most important of issues, I think—a whole barometer for the sort of civility we have in society, or otherwise. I think rough-sleepers are the most vulnerable, in terms of being so far from secure, suitable housing. I was pleased to hear that from the Minister. While rough-sleeping...
David Melding: I think, frankly, First Minister, that administrative devolution in this area would be a very meagre thing. Now, since 1945, the social contract that's been the bedrock of the welfare state is that a citizen has a direct relationship with the state for a level of economic security and, no matter where he or she lives in the United Kingdom, they have the same basic economic rights to benefits....
David Melding: I'm grateful for his giving way, because I was elected in 1999. I accepted the result in 1997. The senior members of the group, once we moved to Nick Bourne's leadership, did a lot of work at that time, and our members didn't always thank us. I think you refer to UK manifesto—loose wording in that—but it was never—never—the policy of the Welsh Conservative Party in this Chamber.
David Melding: Will you take an intervention?
David Melding: Will you give way?
David Melding: I am grateful to you for giving way. I supported the deal. I wanted to remain in the European Union and I fought hard to achieve that, and failed. But I don't think it was failure in the face of a barrage of lies, though there was a lot of slipping and sliding what people said. But I've accepted the result. I greatly regret the fact that if every Conservative had voted for that deal two weeks...
David Melding: Minister, to mark its hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the Japanese Government has launched the Japan-UK season of culture. There's an active committee in Wales promoting events here. I do hope it will get extensive participation from the Welsh Government because we should celebrate our links with Japan. They've done so much economically, and there are many cultural linkages as well, and this...
David Melding: Minister, obviously, this, then, has to be applied from 1 April, and I think it's really important that we see its publication as soon as possible. The end of February is cutting it very fine for them to put various measures in place so that they can implement these pay awards effectively. Is there any prospect of you accelerating the announcement, which is already fairly late, I think, in...
