Mike Hedges: Four very quick points. First thing: this has proven the benefits of the Finance Committee reviewing the cost of legislation. Second: cost is important, and the real key is distinguishing between cashable costs and nominal costs. I think that’s where the Bill went wrong. It didn’t have the wrong numbers, but you couldn’t actually make some of the savings within the Bill that were being...
Mike Hedges: What are the Cabinet Secretary’s priorities for public health in Wales?
Mike Hedges: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the number of GCSE entries in year 10 and year 11?
Mike Hedges: I also very much warmly welcome the introduction of this first committee-generated Bill. Eighteen years after we voted for devolution we’ve now got a Bill being introduced by an Assembly committee. I think that’s a huge piece of progress. I was part of the Finance Committee in the fourth Assembly, and can I join with Simon Thomas in paying credit to Jocelyn Davies for the work she did as...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. First of all, can I thank Simon Thomas, not only for introducing the debate, but for going around and getting people to sign up for it? Because it really is important that we do start debating issues like this. ‘Reduce carbon use by 80 per cent’—that’s a tremendous aim. How are we going to do it? Well, it’s got to be personal contributions, I...
Mike Hedges: Yes, but it’s an average, isn’t it? And so you’ve only got to see how much ice is breaking off in both Antarctica and in the Arctic, and that’s going to lead to flooding in a large number of low-lying areas, and possibly countries disappearing. The other thing I was going to say is, if you want to help the poor: better insulation. Many of us have visited people in their houses, which...
Mike Hedges: I can be convinced that we need a relief road for the M4, but I’m currently unconvinced. We always talk here about decisions being evidence based. Do we know where people join and where they come off the M4, using number plate recognition technology? Do they need to be using the M4, or are there alternative roads? Has any thought been given to signposting Neath, Swansea and west Wales, as...
Mike Hedges: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the advanced manufacturing sector in Wales? (OAQ51139)
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the First Minister for that response? I agree entirely that promoting advanced manufacturing is going to be incredibly important to the Welsh economy, and areas such as robotics and graphene can help grow the Welsh economy. Does the First Minister agree that there needs to be a further clarification of the definition of advanced manufacturing by the Welsh Government, to exclude...
Mike Hedges: The leader of the house is well aware of my interest in invest-to-save. In fact, she’s probably been missing my questions over the last 18 months or so. I would like to ask for a Government statement on the success of innovate-to-save, and how successful innovations are being promoted across Welsh Government and throughout the Welsh public sector.
Mike Hedges: Can I, first of all, welcome the statement? Can I highlight two things? The importance of dialogue regarding bus services—too often, bus services are being run by bus companies without enough dialogue with users and others. The second thing: the importance of bus-rail interchanges. I don’t think you can overestimate the popularity of concessionary travel. Support for it is overwhelming in...
Mike Hedges: Can I talk about integrated public transport systems? In far too many areas, we have buses and we have trains, but the bus comes in at a different time to the train going out, and also we have a situation where buses park some distance away from the train. In my own constituency of Swansea East, for example, we’ve got Llansamlet station, but the bus stops a couple of hundred yards away...
Mike Hedges: Free trade zone.
Mike Hedges: Can I thank Dai Lloyd for giving me a minute in this debate? South Wales has two major hospitals—that is without argument—that is Morriston and the Heath. Really, what we’re looking at is: how can we make the best use of both? We need to support both. To west Wales—and I include the area that you represent, Llywydd—Morriston is the major hospital. Anybody who has spent any time...
Mike Hedges: 9. Will the First Minister make a statement on providing sufficient quality housing in Wales? (OAQ51177)
Mike Hedges: I would like to stress the importance of the electrification of the main London to Swansea rail line in going through Bridgend, First Minister. I think it’s incredibly important. The message it sends out to potential investors about how important you think an area is when you stop the electrification 40 miles away I think is seriously disadvantageous to those of us who live west of Cardiff....
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the First Minister for that response? Of course, council houses were built to a very high standard until the Conservatives did away with the Parker Morris standards. Can I say that some of the more enlightened tenants and councils in Wales supported council housing stock staying in council hands? What support will the Welsh Government give councils such as the City and County of...
Mike Hedges: I’m asking for a statement by the Welsh Government on transport within the Swansea bay city region. This statement should include bus-rail interchanges, which we desperately need; the reopening of closed railway stations such as Landore station and the opening of new railway stations such as Cockett; improved road links, especially the dualling of the A40; and improved cycleways, so that...
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Would you not accept that zero is impossible if you’ve got incineration, because incineration will always end up with residual waste?
