David Rees: At the start of my contribution, I wish to place on record that I'm a member of the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister. Can I also stress, particularly to the UKIP Member for Mid and West Wales, I am not a member of any terracotta army—I have my own voice and my own views. Llywydd, there's no doubt that everyone in this Chamber wishes to see answers to the questions...
David Rees: I thank the Member for that intervention, and he's answered—[Inaudible.] I would have thought that an independent approach, in fact, would be the most obvious way to meet that requirement, and, as he pointed out, he made that request in his own letter to the First Minister, stating that the appointment of an independent third party to conduct an inquiry was an honourable course of action...
David Rees: The Member raises one example. There could be other examples that we could raise, so I wish to continue with my answers and my speech. This issue about the perception of independence—it's already been raised about what people say, but let's be honest, again, and be truthful to ourselves: one member of this committee actually was a Minister in the Assembly Government in 2014; one Member has...
David Rees: 8. Has the First Minister sought legal advice on the covenant that exists on land in Baglan industrial park on which the Ministry of Justice wishes to build a new prison? OAQ51428
David Rees: First Minister, I asked your Counsel General the same type of question about a fortnight ago and I got a typical lawyer's answer, or perhaps a typical Counsel General's answer. My constituents want clarity. There's a debate tomorrow afternoon in this Chamber about that prison, and they're seeking that clarity, particularly on the Welsh Government's views on its responsibilities under the...
David Rees: Before I move on to the substance of this discussion, I just wanted to express huge praise for the campaign group from my constituency, which is totally community led, for the work they have done to date to bring this petition to the Chamber. I know their dedication will continue beyond today to make sure that Port Talbot has a good way forward, and some of the members are in the gallery this...
David Rees: Will the Member take an intervention?
David Rees: Just a quick one. I appreciate your efforts to look to what's going on in Berwyn, but it's also fair to say that Berwyn is not at capacity. Therefore, it hasn't experienced some of the real pressures that will come, particularly when we have a situation across the UK on the prison estate where there are huge problems in prisons, particularly when they're at capacity. As such, I think that...
David Rees: Will the Member give way?
David Rees: I thank the Member for taking an intervention, and I listened to what she was saying and I accept fully that when prisons are overcrowded we need to ensure that that's the case. But do you agree with me, therefore, that the £1.3 billion that the Ministry of Justice is putting aside for four new superprisons would actually be better spent on improving the justice system to ensure that the...
David Rees: I didn't say that, and you know it.
David Rees: Will the Minister give way?
David Rees: I thank the Minister, but, as I said in my contribution, when there are criteria set by a developer, surely it's incumbent upon the Welsh Government to meet the criteria that the developer wants. And in this case, it didn't. I just think that needs to be addressed.
David Rees: What actions is the Welsh Government taking to improve social mobility in Wales?
David Rees: Diolch, Llywydd. Leader of the house, you may be aware—you should be aware—of the concerns over the British Steel pension scheme and the actual advice being received by steelworkers, and the fact that some steelworkers may have lost money because of poor advice. Now, one of the firms that's been identified is Celtic Wealth Management, which was given Welsh Government money. Can we get...
David Rees: 6. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's economic priorities for Aberavon in 2018? OAQ51509
David Rees: First Minister, I agree totally with the actions the Welsh Government have taken to support Tata, particularly in my patch, and the failure of the UK Government—they've done literally nothing. But the question is—. I want to expand on Dai Lloyd's point, I think: the consequence of Tata losing its workforce has meant that well-paid and skilled jobs have gone. As we see, in industries and...
David Rees: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. The Welsh Government obviously has the concept of enterprise zones as one of its important factors in local economic growth, but the only enterprise zone in South Wales West is actually in Port Talbot. It was created as a consequence of the uncertainty in steel making, and I appreciate the Welsh Government's investment with Tata, but there's still...
David Rees: 1. What discussions has the Counsel General had with UK counterparts in relation to the retention of the EU charter of fundamental rights in UK law following Brexit? OAQ51510
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, I don't know if you are aware, but the B4286, known locally to us as the Cwmavon Road, one of two main arteries into the Afan valley, was actually closed due to a landslide following the stormy weather over the Christmas period. This resulted, importantly, in no injuries, but it did cause large, major traffic problems, with long queues on occasion. That did concern me, as...
