Tom Giffard: Yes, absolutely, and it's not just—I can't remember the exact quote, but one of our witnesses came to the committee and said that sport was not just for people who are really good at sport; sport should be for everybody as well. We heard, though, from many giving evidence during this inquiry, that some schools, even though they benefited from twenty-first century schools project money, and...
Tom Giffard: Can I thank Mike Hedges for tabling the question? Although I'm not too sure where his supplementary came from. But the Minister will no doubt be aware of the importance of the SA1 site and the investment and high-value jobs that come with the development. The last time this was raised, Minister, and in answer to my colleague Altaf Hussain, you mentioned that, quote: 'There is still some...
Tom Giffard: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I also welcome Peter Fox's statement this afternoon? As I share an office or have an office next door to yours upstairs, Peter, I know how hard you have worked on this Bill and your staff—in particular, Tyler Walsh—as well, so I think that's worth mentioning. I think this is, as others have said, the right Bill at the right time, because it delivers that...
Tom Giffard: Will the Minister provide an update on school absence rates?
Tom Giffard: Minister, although the new schools in Brackla and Porthcawl, which Sarah just mentioned, are worth welcoming, it’s important to remind ourselves where Bridgend County Borough Council is in terms of the provision of Welsh-medium school places. We know that Bridgend is one of the areas with the lowest numbers of Welsh speakers anywhere in Wales, and one of the reasons for that is that there...
Tom Giffard: We've been blessed, I think, in Wales with a long line of wonderful footballers, from Billy Meredith to John Charles, Mark Hughes, Ian Rush and Aaron Ramsey, to name but a few. I think, as a small nation, we've always punched above our weight with the talent that we've produced on the football field. Whilst I never saw that 1958 team play, nor do I remember the myriad of teams that came oh so...
Tom Giffard: Will the First Minister provide an update on NHS waiting lists in South Wales West?
Tom Giffard: Good afternoon, Minister. I've looked at the Bevan Foundation's evidence to the Finance Committee. I'm struck by the point, and I quote, 'that short-term measures to ease cost-of-living pressures are not a substitute for action to reduce poverty'. And they noted that there had been limits to investment in social housing and energy efficiency. Now, aside from the need to bring forward a new...
Tom Giffard: Will you take an intervention?
Tom Giffard: I'm grateful to you for the intervention. And on that floating windfarm off the south-west Wales coast, which I know we both support, did you share my delight earlier today when we saw the Secretary of State for Wales, David T.C. Davies, confirming that the building materials for that floating offshore windfarm would be sourced as locally as possible, which would have a huge impact on the...
Tom Giffard: 4. How is the Welsh Government supporting people with drug addictions in South Wales West? OQ58991
Tom Giffard: Thank you, First Minister. I'm sorry to say that Swansea suffers from the largest number of drug-related deaths in Wales, with nearly 200 people dying of drug misuse over the last five years. The situation has now been worsened by the flooding of fake benzodiazepines onto Swansea's streets. Last week it was also reported that one in 10 of those on a drug rehabilitation programme in the...
Tom Giffard: Trefnydd, the First Minister said in First Minister's questions, in answer to Andrew R.T. Davies, that he thought that 'urgent and transparent action' was needed by the WRU to ensure it responded properly to rectify the horrific allegations that were made of it in last night's BBC Wales special. But, as a major contributor to the finances of the WRU, we need to understand the action that the...
Tom Giffard: 6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to financially support fire and rescue authorities? OQ58992
Tom Giffard: I'm grateful to you for your answer. I've been made aware by members of the mid and west Wales fire authority that you informed the service there that the FireLink Airwave grant, used to support their essential radio platform, is set to end completely in April this year. By comparison, the Home Office is slowly reducing its FireLink grant funding by 20 per cent each year for five years for...
Tom Giffard: I'd also like to thank, as Delyth Jewell has, stakeholders from the sports and cultural sectors in Wales for giving their time to the committee and setting out the key issues that they face. A number of things struck me as we were gathering evidence for the report, including a huge range of problems that these sectors are facing. For example, we received evidence that showed that rises in...
Tom Giffard: Will you take an intervention?
Tom Giffard: In my actual contribution, I called on you to work with the UK Government—
Tom Giffard: —which you didn't do. Not to let them off the hook in any way. As you know, I was part of the committee that put together that recommendation, and I still wholeheartedly believe in it. So, I just wanted to clarify that comment.
Tom Giffard: 8. What support is the Welsh Government providing to the Welsh tourism sector? OQ59044
