John Griffiths: On the same subject, Minister, given that Welsh Government removed prisoners from the priority need category, and then there was a protocol set in place that should have joined up organisations and agencies to make sure that prisoners upon release did have a roof over their head, it seems that that isn't working very well, given the statistics that Leanne Wood has referred to. I just wonder...
John Griffiths: Would you take an intervention?
John Griffiths: We do need clarity in terms of Welsh Government and Transport for Wales, in terms of who is driving this agenda, and in terms of that resource capacity in local authorities, where some local authorities do not have the expertise that Huw Irranca referred to as Bridgend having had. How is the Welsh Government going to ensure that every local authority in Wales is supported to be able to...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I thank everybody who's taken part in this very important debate? There is a strong consensus, as Russell George mentioned, behind the legislation. I do believe that it's legislation with great potential and great importance; I would say that, Dirprwy Lywydd, having been the Minister that took it through the Assembly, but I do genuinely believe that. And it is...
John Griffiths: 4. Will the First Minister set out the Welsh Government's strategy for youth services? OAQ53504
John Griffiths: Thank you very much for that response, Minister. I think youth services are rightly greatly valued by the general public, obviously by young people themselves, and by a range of organisations, including the police, because they do provide so many different activities and opportunities for young people because of the social aspects, because of the range of encouragement and advice that's...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Diprwy Lywydd. I'm grateful for the opportunity today to celebrate the unique and historic Gwent levels. It is one of the largest areas of coastal and floodplain grazing in the UK, made up of a rich patchwork of different habitats and landscape running along the Severn estuary coastline, from Cardiff and Newport, past the second Severn crossing and beyond. A considerable area of the...
John Griffiths: The relationship between this low-lying area and the sea has not been without tragedy. The element of tension and jeopardy is demonstrated most starkly by the catastrophic flood of 1607. A tidal surge—some think tsunami—put large areas underwater on both sides of the Bristol Channel. It is estimated that 2,000 or more people were drowned, houses and villages swept away, an estimated 200...
John Griffiths: 2. What strategy will the Welsh Government follow to address the way that social class determines the life chances of people in Wales? OAQ53578
John Griffiths: First Minister, when a baby comes into this world in Wales, the social class he or she is born into will affect every aspect of their life, whether it's life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, the standards and qualifications experience of education that she or he receives, their job, lifetime earnings, standards of living, quality of life. Far too often, those born into lower income groups...
John Griffiths: 7. What further action will the Welsh Government take to prevent ill-health in south Wales? OAQ53544
John Griffiths: Thank you for that, Minister. As we heard earlier, smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable death and health inequality in Wales. And, over the last few years, the rate of progress in reducing smoking prevalence has largely stalled. One effective way of driving down smoking rates, particularly perhaps in more deprived areas, is community-based actions to help people stop smoking....
John Griffiths: 6. How will the Welsh Government's forthcoming nature recovery action plan support the delivery of the UK marine strategy regulations? OAQ53648
John Griffiths: Minister, given that the forthcoming UK marine strategy consultation will show that the UK has not reached its 2020 target of good environmental status for the majority of the 14 descriptors, and none of the biodiversity-related descriptors, what action is Wales going to take to ensure that we are not in this position again in 2030?
John Griffiths: I too would like to welcome the publication of the road map as an important step forward in building safety in Wales. The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, which I chair, has been looking at the issue of fire safety in high-rise buildings since the awful tragedy of Grenfell Tower in 2017. As David Melding touched upon, we've looked at many of the issues that are the...
John Griffiths: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on progress in developing the Welsh Government's tax policy? OAQ53728
John Griffiths: 3. What plans does the Minister have to build on the success of the Welsh Government's Wales for Africa programme? OAQ53727
John Griffiths: Minister, tourism is very important in Wales and a very important part of our economy. Many countries have a tourism tax, which provides revenue to improve the tourism product and indeed help promote and market tourism effectively. Is Welsh Government—[Interruption.] There are also anxieties around the proposals, which I understand. So, is Welsh Government continuing to consider and...
John Griffiths: Thanks for that response, Minister. I very much agree, and I think there's widespread agreement across the Chamber that this is a very worthwhile programme that delivers great benefits for sub-Saharan Africa and, indeed, for Wales. One important aspect of it is the community-to-community links. I think we have a very impressive number of those in Wales, but obviously they could be added to,...
John Griffiths: 3. What strategy will the Welsh Government follow to strengthen and reinforce its commitment to tackle climate change? OAQ53760
