Mohammad Asghar: [Continues.]—council tax—
Mohammad Asghar: [Continues.]—council tax by 5 per cent due to proposals in the draft budget. What action will the Cabinet Secretary take to alleviate the problem of council tax debt caused by regular above inflation increases and relieve the burden on hard-pressed households in Merthyr Tydfil and elsewhere in Wales?
Mohammad Asghar: I’m grateful for this opportunity to speak against the introduction of a tourism tax in Wales. I do so because I believe a tourism tax would have a severe and adverse impact on the economy of my region. South-east Wales is a major destination for tourists from both the United Kingdom and from overseas. Six years ago, we put in this Chamber the Enterprise (Wales) Bill, and we emphasised very...
Mohammad Asghar: I also congratulate the Minister for her new role as the leader of the house, and I'm sure she'll do the better job—or exactly the same—as the predecessor did. May I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport on the delay in dualling the eastern section of the A465 Heads of the Valleys road in my region? The Cabinet Secretary has ordered a review of this...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, I raised the question not long ago, and really, word by word, Leanne Wood has put the question in the same way, but I will still add my question. Employing supply teachers through agencies has led to lower pay and poor terms and conditions. That's what we're talking about here—the terms and conditions of supply teachers. A constituent in Newport has raised concerns...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, a year on, the chief medical officer issued a report on the persistent and growing gap in life expectancy between those living in our most and least deprived communities in south-east Wales. He also commented on research by Public Health Wales that said that investing in the prevention of adverse childhood experiences, such as exposure to alcoholism and drug use, can reduce...
Mohammad Asghar: 3. What action will the Welsh Government take to increase the supply of new houses in Wales during the fifth Assembly term? OAQ51311
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much for that answer, Minister. Last year, the Home Builders Federation stated that poor planning and the higher costs associated with building homes in Wales have compromised investment. Now, house builders express concern that the lack of detail over the potential new tax on vacant development land could further discourage larger developers from investing in Wales. Does the...
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement on the alarming increase in fly-tipping in parts of south-east Wales? Last year, a 6 per cent increase in fly-tipping across Wales—however, the increase in Merthyr Tydfil was 15 per cent, and in Newport there were 3,258 incidents of fly-tipping, an increase of 44 per cent. What a staggering figure, Minister, and, worryingly, incidents of...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, you recently announced a review of the project to dual the A465 for the Heads of the Valleys road because the project is running £220 million over budget and is behind its schedule. Work on this section of the road was due to be completed in spring 2019, but is likely to be delayed, resulting in additional costs, not only to public finances, but also to local companies,...
Mohammad Asghar: This year marks the centenary of the third battle of Ypres. This terrible battle has come to symbolise the horrors associated with the first world war. It is frequently known by the name of the village where it culminated, Passchendaele. Although there is no-one left alive today who served in what was called 'the war to end all wars', it reminds us of the enormous debt we owe to those who...
Mohammad Asghar: 3. What action will the Welsh Government take to enhance environmental protection in the next 12 months? OAQ51368
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you for that reply, First Minister. No less than eight wildlife and countryside charities in Wales have criticised cuts in the environment funding set out in the draft budget. WWF Cymru said that there is an apparent gap between your pledges on the environment and the reality of what's happening on the ground, while others have questioned whether the Welsh Government has provided...
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement on the lack of employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities in Wales, and learning difficulties also? Mencap Cymru has recently pointed out that there are huge barriers facing people with learning difficulties who want to work. They went on to say that the employment rate in Wales was terribly low, with many employers needing...
Mohammad Asghar: I also congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on his new post. The thing is, in last week's debate we talked about post-traumatic stress syndrome in veterans, and also you just mentioned that mental health issues for armed forces veterans are pretty common. We have to look after them. I know you have not closed the door on the idea of creating an armed forces commissioner in Wales to co-ordinate...
Mohammad Asghar: What is the Welsh Government doing to improve services for dementia patients in south-east Wales?
Mohammad Asghar: May I ask for a statement from the Welsh Government on the UK Government's industrial strategy, published last month? The strategy commits the UK Government to work in partnership across all four nations to create the conditions where successful businesses can emerge and grow to help young people develop the skills they need to do the highly paid and highly skilled jobs of the future. Can I...
Mohammad Asghar: Presiding Officer, Wales faces a skills shortage. Too many of our young people are not in education, employment or training. It is a sad fact that people in Wales are more likely to lack qualifications than people in Scotland or England. A lower proportion of people in Wales have a degree than any English region, bar the north-east. Educational attainment at the age of 16 in Wales has long...
Mohammad Asghar: What action will the Leader of the House take to improve conditions for the Gypsy and Traveller community in Wales in the next 12 months?
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, many asylum seekers and refugees may have skills that would prove valuable to the Welsh economy, but they are hindered by their inability, or limited ability, to speak English. The Welsh Government, in its response to the committee's report, acknowledged the importance of English for speakers of other languages courses . So, can I ask what progress has been made in...
