David Melding: Can I just say that we are content to note the report, and we do hope it starts a process of policy development that protects our designated landscapes while seeing their wider economic, cultural and social potential being extended? I think that’s an appropriate way to go forward. The report sets out a new proposition for designated landscapes to go beyond their current purposes of...
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, in the latest year for which we have figures in Wales, 6.6 per cent of all road traffic casualties are cyclists. This is a slight reduction on the previous year, but still the second highest recorded figure since 1984. Do you agree with me that councils, and indeed the Welsh Government in its budget allocations, have to take safe cycle routes seriously, and we need to...
David Melding: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I’m very pleased to move this motion in the name of Paul Davies and look at the housing crisis that currently exists in Wales. Successive Welsh Governments have failed to tackle the housing needs that have been quite apparent now for a generation or more. An increasing requirement for social housing, underinvestment since devolution, and the post-2008 economic...
David Melding: I want to talk about a more rational estimate of housing need. And here, I do, at least, commend the Welsh Government for commissioning an effective report that really looked at this, and I refer to the ‘Future Need and Demand for Housing in Wales’, which was authored by the late Professor Holmans. That report estimated that Wales needs up to 240,000 new housing units between 2011 and...
David Melding: I do thank the Minister for putting on the record that we do not build enough houses in the United Kingdom. He's right on that, and, you know, I've heard his reflections on past Conservative Governments. In the current Conservative manifesto, there's a commitment to build 1.5 million homes between now and 2022. That would mean 75,000 more homes in Wales in that same period. You will build...
David Melding: I’m keen at this stage of the afternoon to help build consensus. We do need a range of models. I think that’s very, very important. Mike Hedges said that, for the foreseeable future, many people will not be able to become home owners, and co-operative models, I think, give that—it is a bit of an in-between situation, in many ways, because you have responsibility for setting policy and...
David Melding: First Minister, can I say that, like you, I’m glad that the voter turnout last Thursday was much closer to the historic trend that we’ve had in the United Kingdom, and that is something that we should all be very grateful for? One thing that’s always struck me as very peculiar is why we vote on a Thursday. There have been a couple of occasions in the twentieth century where general...
David Melding: First Minister, many older women have a problem with mobility—they are quite frail—and we need to shape certain public policies with that mind. For instance, with transport, the improvement in bus services, free bus travel, et cetera, is a help, but really we need to focus on things like community transport schemes as well, which allow people who would otherwise be excluded from at least...
David Melding: I want to concentrate on the literature part of your statement, and in particular that great source of innovation and entrepreneurship, and I’m talking about the small independent bookshop. Now, this sector has been cut back over the years as the likes of Amazon have come on, but those that survive are outstanding businesses, with great connections to the local community, involved in all...
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, on a slightly different tack, but still in the mainstream of this question, encouraging enterprise in schools, amongst the pupils, in particular, I think is a marvellous thing to do. I’ve many times previously called for social enterprises to be encouraged—I think each secondary school ought to have at least one—and why not use the model of co-operatives? What better...
David Melding: First Minister, the frequency and reliability of services is crucial, and in terms of Arriva’s services, I really think that we need to see a dramatic improvement in such practices as cancelling services or stopping a service half way up the valley. If you want to get to Aberdare, it stops in Mountain Ash and you have to get off and wait for the next train. These are really important tests...
David Melding: Llywydd, can I join with the Cabinet Secretary in expressing our deepest sympathy for all those bereaved and to say that the victims are in our thoughts and prayers at the moment? The Grenfell Tower fire was truly appalling and must lead to a comprehensive review of fire safety regulations. Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for making such a prompt statement? I definitely think that was the...
David Melding: I think, on the latter point, you should follow the scientific evidence—I would commend that. I think it is slightly perverse for a Member to quote the need to follow scientific evidence and then throw into the debate something that has certainly not been examined by the committee, or the Welsh Government by the sound of it. But, as I said, evidence has to be taken seriously when it’s...
David Melding: Will the Cabinet Secretary state what strategy is in place to increase the number of local bus passenger journeys?
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, can I welcome the fact that the ONS has now started to publish data at local authority level on two key measures of economic output and prosperity, that is gross value added and gross disposable household income. And I think there’s great potential, and I’d like the Welsh Government to say what they may do in this field, to ensure that, say, the Cardiff city deal—but...
David Melding: Minister, the European Urban Audit placed Cardiff as the highest ranking UK city, the sixth most liveable capital city in Europe. Copenhagen was first: 45 per cent of inhabitants there ride to work. As part of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, will you set targets for our cities and other urban areas for the number of non-motorised journeys? That would be a good action...
David Melding: Oh, lord. The best you can do. [Laughter.]
David Melding: Your boss is the well-being Minister, thank you very much.
David Melding: First Minister, you’ll know that Nantgarw has recently been chosen as the base for the new 24-hour helpline for armed forces veterans. This will be a great help all over Wales, but also for RCT and Cynon Valley in particular. Now, this is part of the 2014 veterans transition review, which also recommended that local authorities conduct an audit of their social housing provision and see how...
David Melding: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I do move the amendments in Paul Davies’s name. I welcome the fact we’re having this debate; I think it is an important subject. I also welcome the significant strides that have been taken to reduce the carbon footprint, and the Welsh Government has given some leadership in this area, but I would say, before I’m viewed as being too generous, that we...
