Darren Millar: 3. Will the Minister make a statement on flood risk management in north Wales? OAQ(5)0054(ERA)
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I’m very pleased to be able to respond on behalf of our group, and extend our continuing support for the Wales for Africa programme and the excellent work that it is doing in making connections between the people of Wales and the people of sub-Saharan Africa. The Cabinet Secretary will know I visited South Africa a couple of years ago—in...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I think it's impressive that you've managed to turn around a Welsh Government response to such a hefty report as the Diamond review report in such a short period of time. I do welcome, as well, the consultation that will now flow from your response; I think it's entirely appropriate that there’s a wider opportunity for public discussion on...
Darren Millar: First Minister, one of the features of your Government is that very good schools, which are delivering the national curriculum, have been closing across the country, particularly in rural parts of Wales. Now, I note that there is additional assistance, which is on the way, and some changes in terms of the way that local authorities will have to think about their schools in the future. But...
Darren Millar: Cabinet Secretary, you know as well as I do that there’s a duty on local authorities and local education authorities to ensure that the UNCRC is promoted in our schools. Unfortunately, this is not subject to inspection at the moment by Estyn. I feel that it ought to be in order to make sure that young people are able to understand what their rights are and how they can ensure that they can...
Darren Millar: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll know that I’m a huge advocate of positive parenting, particularly given what I think are premature plans from your Government to ban smacking and criminalise parents. However, I note that you as Cabinet Secretary agree that positive parenting is something that ought to be available to all parents who need it. Unfortunately, though, in...
Darren Millar: 8. What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote positive parenting? OAQ(5)0058(CC)
Darren Millar: 10. Will the Minister provide an update on how the Welsh Government is ensuring that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is being realised? OAQ(5)0057(CC)
Darren Millar: Will you take an intervention?
Darren Millar: Thank you, Minister, for bringing this debate forward today in Government time. I think it’s always very useful for us as a National Assembly to reflect on the annual report of the children’s commissioner, and the excellent work that she and her team do across the whole of Wales. I want to put on record my thanks to her for making regular visits to north Wales, including to places in my...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I know of your commitment to rural schools. I know you used to fight passionately when you were an opposition member on behalf of schools in Powys that were threatened with closure by that particular local authority, and, of course, you were matched by many other Assembly Members representing rural constituencies in this Chamber. Like your...
Darren Millar: Can I call for two statements, please—one from the Minister responsible for lifelong learning and the Welsh language, on support for people with learning disabilities who are accessing further education? He’ll be aware of the concerns that were raised this week in the media regarding the system of support that is available to learners in post-16 further education with learning...
Darren Millar: First Minister, like me, I’m sure you were very disappointed and horrified to read of the ombudsman’s case last week in terms of Mr Eifion Wyn Jones, who waited 132 days for prostate cancer treatment. This week, there’s been another case reported in the ‘Daily Post’ of a gentleman from Prestatyn, Mr Ian Taylor, who waited over three months for his treatment. I’m currently working...
Darren Millar: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on access to NHS treatment in north Wales? OAQ(5)0256(FM)
Darren Millar: Of course I will.
Darren Millar: You’re absolutely right, and there are some good examples across Wales of youth councils in operation, but, unfortunately, it’s not consistently applied across the country, in spite of the work of Young Wales and other organisations like them. So, we’ve got this excellent track record. We were leading the way in terms of youth engagement very early on in the life of the Assembly. We...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It’s a pleasure to have an opportunity to open and lead this debate, which calls on the National Assembly for Wales to establish a youth parliament for Wales. I want to say thank you to all parties in the Chamber for the support that has been shown for this motion. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae gan y Cynulliad hwn draddodiad balch o gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc....
Darren Millar: Leader of the house, can I call for two statements today, please? One is from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on the EU regional social progress index—a study found that Wales ranked at the bottom of the UK home nations in terms of access to basic knowledge, and, of course, that’s given rise to significant concerns amongst parents in particular, and knocked their confidence in our...
Darren Millar: First Minister, you had an opportunity there, in response to Llyr Gruffydd, to re-commit yourself to the commitment that both you and the Liberal Democrats reached when forming your coalition Government, which was that there would be no negative effect on the higher education budget as a result of the implementation of any changes. Will you take the opportunity to make that commitment today,...
Darren Millar: The reality is that not every organisation is asking for specific legislation. This is one that crosses a number of barriers. I have already said: social services and well-being, yes, let’s get the health boards working with social service departments. But what about our education system? It doesn’t encompass the breadth of public services that it needs to. I just want to take the few...
