Sioned Williams: Diolch. Three weeks ago, heavy rainfall overwhelmed drains and culverts in a number of communities in my region and I saw the effect of this first-hand, both in the Swansea valley and the following day in the Melincryddan area of Neath, and this is the third time in recent years that the Melyn has suffered from serious flooding. It was heartbreaking to speak with residents who expressed their...
Sioned Williams: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for communities who experience flooding in South Wales West? OQ58741
Sioned Williams: I’m pleased to have an opportunity to speak in this debate as Plaid Cymru spokesperson on social justice and equalities and as chair of the cross-party group on learning disabilities. Plaid Cymru is fully supportive of measures to improve all kinds of public accessibility for disabled people and those with specific needs, and we are pleased to see this proposal to ensure that Changing...
Sioned Williams: As Plaid Cymru spokesperson on social justice and equalities, I welcome the recommendations of this important report. As Paul Davies mentioned, many of these recommendations echo and underline many of those that have been made by a number of reports by the Equality and Social Justice Committee into issues related to poverty and the cost-of-living crisis, as well as calls made by many...
Sioned Williams: Thank you, Minister. Women from all parts of Wales marched recently to ensure changes in working practices that create a disadvantage for mothers. And the Minister will be aware of the new report by Chwarae Teg, which demonstrates that the gender pay gap continues to be high, at 11.3 per cent this year. At almost 30 per cent, the gap is widest in Neath Port Talbot, in the region that I...
Sioned Williams: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the Government’s strategy for improving labour market outcomes for women? OQ58707
Sioned Williams: Thank you for your statement, Minister. Plaid Cymru is proud of the emphasis on promoting, expanding and developing lifelong education in our co-operation agreement with the Government and our collaboration on the establishment of a tertiary education and research commission. It's vital to ensure now that the commission's focus is on ensuring that Wales is more successful in its aim of...
Sioned Williams: This isn't only an issue of gender equality, but it's also an issue of social justice. We know that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting women disproportionately, and, according to a recent YouGov survey, one in eight people say they'll struggle to afford period products over the next year. And of course, periods are not a choice, and, for many women, they're a challenge—it affects their...
Sioned Williams: I'm a member of the Equality and Social Justice Committee that held an inquiry into the Warm Homes programme, making recommendations in terms of lessons learnt and improving the new version of the programme. In responding to the recommendations, the Government suggested there would be an update on the next version soon after the summer recess. Your statement today, now that we are in...
Sioned Williams: Diolch. Over the last decade, services delivered by communities' pharmacies have increased, but the numbers of community pharmacies have remained pretty static, despite increased healthcare demands and reforms, such as those you've just mentioned, to support Welsh Government's vision for community pharmacy teams to support health and care services. But many of my constituents have raised...
Sioned Williams: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the role of community pharmacies in improving the health of residents in South Wales West? OQ58648
Sioned Williams: What was obvious in the evidence that we heard as a committee was that peer-on-peer sexual harassment was so common that it was accepted as normal behaviour. That was certainly the most striking thing for me as well, and that schools are also struggling to deal with this effectively. The impact, in some cases, affects the well-being, attainment and health of learners. As Laura Anne Jones...
Sioned Williams: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. It's difficult when you're on Zoom and when you've got COVID. I just want to say to Jenny, who wants to wait, that families can't wait. I would prefer to listen to those with lived experience, rather than Gordon Brown, on what solutions are needed. Mark Isherwood, thank you for your support. I agree that these are not new ideas. Action is overdue. Imagine if this had...
Sioned Williams: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I was recently asked by a constituent of mine who is struggling to pay her bills, 'What’s the point of Welsh Government if they can't help us?' It's a valid question, because what good is devolution if we are powerless to protect, at the very least, our most vulnerable citizens? The proposal before you is a way to make the powers that we do have, the resources that...
Sioned Williams: Thank you. Following a request for a judicial review from Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg, the High Court ruled that the decision of Neath Port Talbot Council to open a huge English-medium school in Pontardawe was unlawful because they failed to assess its impact on the Welsh language and particularly on Welsh-medium education. The ruling has been described as being of national importance by Gwion...
Sioned Williams: Diolch, Weinidog. Minister, the leader of Neath Port Talbot Council asked me, in a recent letter, to press for sufficient additional resources to enable the council to continue to support its communities through the current crises. He compares the current cost-of-living crisis with the COVID crisis, when local government demonstrated time and time again how it is uniquely placed to respond to...
Sioned Williams: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the funding of local authorities in South Wales West? OQ58621
Sioned Williams: 1. Will the Government make a statement following the High Court ruling on Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council's education plans? TQ670
Sioned Williams: Finally, you refer in your statement that you've had no engagement with Lord Harrington's successor, and he was the Minister for refugees in Westminster, and I want to put on record the Plaid Cymru view that this is entirely disgraceful and unforgivable in light of the crisis facing thousands of refugees in Wales, who are in such a difficult situation in making their homes in a new country....
Sioned Williams: Welsh councils are warning us already that they're going to be facing huge shortfalls in their budgets as a result of the COVID pandemic, market reactions to Westminster chaos, the energy crisis and inflationary pressures because of this cost-of-living crisis. The Welsh Local Government Association has warned that councils are at risk of being forced to make significant cuts to key services....
