Mike Hedges: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm delighted to open today’s debate on the report from the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee on our inquiry into woodland policies in Wales. I want to thank the previous Chair of the committee, Mark Reckless, and former members of the committee, Vikki Howells, Siân Gwenllian and Huw Irranca-Davies, for the work they did on this report,...
Mike Hedges: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Estyn inspections in Wales?
Mike Hedges: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on efforts to prevent type-2 diabetes in Wales?
Mike Hedges: Health is more than hospitals and emergencies; it involves lifestyle choices. In trials, half the people who had type 2 diabetes for fewer than six years were cured by diet alone. We know how harmful smoking is and how important diet and exercise are. Working with GPs, we can improve health. I would like to ask for a statement on Government action to improve public health, including the role...
Mike Hedges: Thank you for that response, First Minister. I’ll turn to English now.
Mike Hedges: There are three levels for developing three levels of Welsh speakers: following the huge improvement in the teaching of Welsh in English-medium primary schools, no child should leave a primary school as a monoglot English speaker, which wasn't true when I was in school; those educated in schools through the medium of Welsh; and those who study Welsh in university. What strategy is being...
Mike Hedges: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on what constitutes a Welsh speaker in the plans to achieve a million Welsh speakers by 2050? OAQ51445
Mike Hedges: I'm not sure he would agree with you.
Mike Hedges: Will the Leader of the House provide an update on broadband provision in Swansea East?
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Have you ever discovered where the cross-over point is?
Mike Hedges: Whilst supporting the Welsh Government budget, I acknowledge the budget is inadequate for the needs of Wales. This is not a criticism of either the finance Secretary or the Welsh Government; this is due to the inadequate block grant from the Tories in Westminster. As the year progresses—and we've heard some of it already—I expect Tory calls for, 'More money for health', 'More money for...
Mike Hedges: I was going to ask: does that also go for the deal between the Conservatives and the DUP?
Mike Hedges: Does that mean Hinkley Point?
Mike Hedges: It was a general election manifesto, and if we'd won the general election, it would have been raised. It would have been raised in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. That's the point—
Mike Hedges: Because, if you do it, you're going to bring redundancies. I think the Welsh Government have got it absolutely right in asking for support that it should be raised and the money should come from Westminster. We were going to—. Sorry to—
Mike Hedges: Labour were going to do these things if we'd won the general election. You put a lot of things in your manifesto for the last Assembly election. Shall we hold you to account for the all the ones you haven't achieved because you're not in power? Can I just make one very important final point? Following on from yesterday’s debate on entrepreneurship, unless the contracts are made small enough...
Mike Hedges: Well, that's not true, is it? I don't think anybody believes that—the bequeathing austerity bit. I mean—
Mike Hedges: The Conservative Government in Westminster now appears to accept low growth, low productivity increase and stagnation or a reduction in real wages for the many as a new form of economic reality. Can I say, from the start, I don't accept that? Low productivity is a direct result of Government policies. Pay is low; it's easy to reduce the hours or terminate the employment of workers;...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Well, we know this stretches the length and breadth of Wales. We've had Siân Gwenllian from the north, we've had Jayne Bryant from the east, we've had Dawn Bowden, Mick Antoniw and David Melding from South Wales Central, we've had Russell George from mid Wales and me from Swansea. It is a problem throughout the whole of Wales, and that's a point that I...
