Andrew RT Davies: Would you agree, as First Minister, to convene a summit on this particular issue of all the interested public bodies, so that there can be a joined-up approach to it, on the basis that we do, generally, across parties want to see improvements? When you have a public health issue that is taking 2,000 lives a year within Wales—let alone other parts of the United Kingdom—that, I would...
Andrew RT Davies: As I said, five people a week are dying because of air quality issues in Wales—that’s 2,000 people a year. That is a frightening figure, and as Public Health Wales have identified today, it is one of the biggest, if not the biggest issue that we do face. The programme ‘Week In Week Out’ today invited the Welsh Government to take part in that programme, and regrettably they chose not...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First Minister, today there’s this startling news that five people a week are dying in Wales—five people a day, sorry, dying in Wales—because of air pollution. This is a frightening figure that my colleague David Melding has raised many times in this Chamber, and the Welsh Conservatives led a debate on this in July. Many communities will rightly...
Andrew RT Davies: Maybe what I’m trying to elicit from you, leader of the house, is a proactive approach from the Welsh Government to identify that these processes are not fit for purpose, as you’ve identified that Sir Donald identified in his own assessment of this procedure. Many times, the Welsh Government is called to make representations on various matters. I would look to you to try and encourage the...
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, it is quite clear that if the ‘Mail on Sunday’ hadn’t undertaken its investigation, this report would have been buried in the deep, deep recesses of the GMC report and wouldn’t have come to light. We owe the ‘Mail on Sunday’ a great debt of gratitude because they have informed the family of the outcome, because, as I understand it, the family had not been...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Leader of the house, we were all horrified by the story about Ellie-May Clark’s death over the weekend and the tragedy that led up to the sequence of events—that her mother, obviously, went to the GP surgery, ultimately sought the appointment and, given the medical history of little Ellie, she should have been seen by the GP. No right-minded person could fail...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, thank you for giving your answers to the urgent questions so far, and could I join you in commending the workforce for the way they’ve resolutely—[Interruption.] I don’t know what the sniggering is, but at the end of the day, I think the workforce have stood up and put their point over and actually endorsed the ballot today, with over 70 per cent in all three categories, I...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Yesterday, in First Minister’s questions—and I appreciate that you were away at a finance meeting yesterday, Cabinet Secretary, but hopefully your officials have made you aware—the First Minister did indicate that you would be bringing forward a statement at the end of this week, outlining how the additional £10 million that was announced in December was...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I’m grateful you’ve called me. It seems that the principal questioner has left the Chamber.
Andrew RT Davies: I would ask the finance Secretary about the report that came out yesterday, in relation to the fiscal framework that has been brought forward by yourself, and the UK Government, that potentially has the ability to deliver an extra £600 million to the Welsh Government over the coming years. Do you recognise that figure, and the benefit that the fiscal framework will bring to the Welsh...
Andrew RT Davies: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on business rates relief in Wales? OAQ(5)0089(FLG)
Andrew RT Davies: Could you confirm if that’s the Labour Party’s policy in London as well—the devolution of policing?
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, in response to the question I put to the First Minister this afternoon on business rates, he indicated the Welsh Government would be coming forward with the information that many Members have been calling for by the end of this week. I was hoping that maybe you could use your good offices, as leader of the house, to try and get that information in Members’ hands sooner...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you.
Andrew RT Davies: I am not quite sure why the backbenchers are muttering there. It’s perfectly within the right of a Member to raise a question in this place, and First Minister’s questions is the time for that to happen. First Minister, I have commended the Welsh Government previously for the money they have made available for transitional relief around the business rates scheme. They made an announcement...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, you were the First Minister at the time, and I do accept that these decisions are based on risk and that some will go wrong, but the point I’ve made, through the two questions I’ve put to you, is that there were numerous warnings highlighting the risk to the Government and to the taxpayer by releasing the money into this company. Finance Wales, which is a lender of last...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, it is a fact that, as the investment continued—because this money was released over time, it was—time and time again, as I’ve said, those lights were flashing on the dashboard. Three point four million pounds was released to this company, and it has been lost, in effect; no jobs were safeguarded, that site is now empty, and you as a Government hold the liabilities of...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, First Minister—thank you, Presiding Officer, sorry. There is an urgent question coming a little later on the Kancoat findings in the public accounts report, but I do want to ask several questions to the First Minister this afternoon on this particular issue, given you were the First Minister when these decisions were taken. So, I think that’s an important consideration. Given...
Andrew RT Davies: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on what the Welsh Government is doing to assist businesses in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0450(FM)
Andrew RT Davies: I don’t doubt that. But if you read the manifesto, as I pointed out to you, the manifesto talks of a north Wales metro system, and now it seems Government policy has moved firmly just to stick with the east and forget the west. As we know, in the western part of north Wales we have the lowest levels of gross value added to be found in Wales—in Anglesey, for example. One thing successive...
