Peredur Owen Griffiths: The initial wave of Tory-driven austerity led to 400 police officers and 100 community support officers being lost from the ranks of the south Wales police force alone. Despite the recent investments, staffing levels at this force remain well below the numbers it had in 2010. Mark.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: That's not an excuse, but I said 'all the parties that subscribed to austerity', which we didn't. The deterioration in policing levels over the past decade was brought up during a recent street surgery last Friday in Pontlottyn. People had noticed what the Tories, backed by the others in Westminster, have done to community policing. This settlement will make for further grim reading for each...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 4. What is the Minister doing to support the egg industry in South Wales East? OQ59130
Peredur Owen Griffiths: What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Climate Change about ensuring enough money is available to local authorities to mitigate the effects of adverse weather?
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that response.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Most people who have been food shopping in recent months will have noticed a shortage of eggs. Some producers, faced with rising costs and supermarkets that refuse to reflect this in their contracts, are leaving the industry if they can. This was made clear to me by an egg producer in my region during a recent meeting. They told me in no uncertain terms that the egg sector is in deep trouble....
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 6. Beth mae'r Llywodraeth yn ei wneud i hyrwyddo teithio cynaliadwy yn Nwyrain De Cymru? OQ59163
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. The recent news that road projects in Wales would not be funded was a bitter pill to swallow for some. It would have been a bit easier to understand if it had not been accompanied by the announcement a day later that the bus emergency scheme is going to be phased out in June. For many of the communities I represent, the bus service is a lifeline. For older...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for this afternoon's statement, and for the report you published today too.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: As we will discuss in the Plaid debate tomorrow, the fair work agenda needs to have a central role in shaping Wales's future industrial and economic strategy. In response to the draconian strikes Bill making its way through Westminster, it is vital for us in Wales to define clear principles related to fair work. This will protect future generations from the alarming legislation we are seeing...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. What is the Government doing to help families in South Wales East who have fallen into debt? OQ59162
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. What is the Commission doing to ensure that the Senedd estate is fully accessible for disabled people? OQ59165
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Llywydd, and a happy St David's Day to everyone.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that response, Minister.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: In the recently published Bevan Foundation document, 'A snapshot of poverty in winter 2023', debt was found to be a significant problem. More than a quarter of people surveyed borrowed money between October 2022 and January 2023, with 13 per cent being in arrears on at least one bill. Furthermore, more than one in 10 were also worried about losing their home over the next three months, with...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome the mention of the real living wage in social care in your statement on fair work yesterday. Plaid Cymru has been a strong campaigner for many years for a pay increase for those dedicated and absolutely essential staff working in social care. One-off payments, like the one we saw during the pandemic, are welcome, but they are no substitute for being paid what you...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much for that answer.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Back last month, your Government unveiled a new LGBTQ+ action plan. You also signalled intent to start negotiating with the UK Government to devolve powers related to gender recognition. This is a positive step and it is something that, in principle, Plaid Cymru supports wholeheartedly. The current Tory Government is the most regressive and hate-filled Government in generations. The further...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, which was only introduced in September of last year, has been an unmitigated disaster—designed to remove all remaining retained EU law from the UK statute book by the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum at the very latest. The Bill introduces a sunset clause, whereby the majority of retained EU law—thousands of pieces of...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch. Yes, as you say, time is running out with it, because it's a hard deadline, and, as you say, I'd be very interested in understanding what extension is possible and what we could do here to help with that cliff edge. The rushed nature of this Bill raises the very real prospect of critical regulations in a range of policy areas being either replaced by substandard alternatives or...
