Darren Millar: Diolch, Llywydd. Thirty-five years ago, the Falkland islands, a small British overseas territory in the south Atlantic, was invaded by Argentina. The conflict that ensued was a major episode in the protracted confrontation in the territory’s sovereignty. On 5 April 1982, the British Government sent a taskforce of over 100 vessels and 26,000 service personnel to reclaim the islands. While...
Darren Millar: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve the lives of older people in Wales? OAQ(5)0665(FM)
Darren Millar: Thank you for that answer, First Minister, but one of the things you failed to mention was the increasing isolation that has been faced by many older people in Wales. It’s estimated that around 75,000 older people across the country are reported as being very lonely, and that loneliness can have the same sort of impact as smoking 15 cigarettes per day on people’s health. I wonder whether...
Darren Millar: Thank you to the Cabinet Secretary for her statement this afternoon and for the way that she’s engaged in giving briefings to opposition Members in respect of her plans. I’m delighted to see that Professor Hazelkorn’s recommendations have been supported and taken on board and, as we have done in the past, I think it’s important that we move together on this as a nation because we need...
Darren Millar: Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm what the Government’s targets are for the 2018 PISA assessment? TAQ(5)0143(EDU)
Darren Millar: I’m very grateful for that response. Cabinet Secretary, you know that the PISA results that were published last year showed that Wales has suffered a decade of decline in international league tables, with worse scores for literacy, maths and science in 2015 than there were in 2006. And those poor scores prompted your predecessors to announce all sorts of Welsh Government targets, the most...
Darren Millar: Diolch, Llywydd. Last week—[Interruption.] Last week, you told—
Darren Millar: Diolch, Llywydd. Last week, you told the Children, Young People and Education Committee that the 2021 target was, and I quote, ‘not my target’, and you signalled that you were moving away from it. Yesterday we saw the First Minister slapping you down for what you said, restating the commitment to the 2021 target, a particularly unedifying performance from the First Minister, given that...
Darren Millar: Will the First Minister make a statement on transport infrastructure in north Wales?
Darren Millar: One of the premier sports facilities in north Wales, of course, is Parc Eirias in my own constituency, the home of Rygbi Gogledd Cymru. And I’ve been very pleased, actually, to see the Welsh Government’s investment in that site over the years. But would you agree with me that, if we’re to have great sports facilities, we’ve also got to make sure that we’ve got the transport...
Darren Millar: I too would like to see further devolution in respect of responsibility for gambling here to Wales, but we do have some powers already, including powers through the planning system whereby we could take action to prevent the proliferation of licenced betting shops in small communities. We know that there’s a proliferation, particularly in deprived communities, of gambling outlets, and that...
Darren Millar: Thank you, leader of the house, for your statement. Can I call for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on the allegations of racism and discrimination against non-white teaching staff in Welsh schools? You’ll be aware that there were concerns that were raised by Race Council Cymru regarding allegations of racism, and that that could be putting applicants from ethnic...
Darren Millar: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on guidance issued to local authorities in relation to planning matters?
Darren Millar: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on Welsh Government engagement with faith communities in Wales?
Darren Millar: Tidal lagoons, of course, are also an important feature that could be of benefit to the north Wales coastline, in terms of economic development and in terms of coastal protection. But one of the things that potential developers are saying to me is that they could do with some seed funding in order to fund the research that might be necessary, on an open-source basis, available for anybody to...
Darren Millar: Cabinet Secretary, I know there’s a great deal of engagement that goes on with faith communities in Wales and the Welsh Government, and that’s work that I know is greatly valued by faith communities, but I think it is important that representative bodies, whether they be Christian or Muslim, in that faith communities forum represent the plethora of voices on behalf of their communities,...
Darren Millar: Diolch, Llywydd. I’m very pleased to be leading this debate this afternoon on behalf of the Welsh Conservative group. Before I go into my comments this afternoon, can I declare an interest as a part-time HE student here in Wales? Further and higher education has a broad and beneficial impact on our Welsh economy and society, but it’s not just those who are aged under 24 who can contribute...
Darren Millar: In addition to that, there is some ageism in the system. At present, Student Finance Wales cuts off funding for those who are 60 and over in the year that their course starts. And yet, we know that the older people’s commissioner and the Arad review have highlighted the huge benefits of lifelong learning in helping older people to live more independent lives, and more fulfilled lives. And...
Darren Millar: Will you take an intervention?
Darren Millar: You will recognise, though, that some people want to train because they want to leave an employer to go elsewhere, and some people, simply from a personal enrichment point of view, will want to take up a course that has nothing to do with the employment that they’re currently in. So, I would just ask what you are going to do for those people to help them with those transitions and, in...
