Michelle Brown: And they're not get onto the top courses. It is clear that, at the moment, it will also always be better for a learner to do an A-level instead of the Welsh bac. [Interruption.] Shut up, Huw.
Michelle Brown: [Inaudible.]—shouting and heckling at me since the moment I opened my mouth.
Michelle Brown: I couldn't even hear myself think.
Michelle Brown: Well, I'm sorry that I had to tell Huw to shut up.
Michelle Brown: Fine, I will do. I'll ignore them. The report itself makes some valid proposals as far as selling the Welsh bac is concerned, but it would appear to be trying to sell a product for which there is no demand. The Confederation of British Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses were asked for an input but refused to do so, as did Universities Wales. All of these organisations have a huge...
Michelle Brown: Thank you.
Michelle Brown: I'll start with the extension of the franchise. As far as eligibility of residents to vote is concerned, I acknowledge there are some very strong views on both sides of the argument to lower the voting age to 16. From a personal point of view, in principle, I really don't object to the proposal to lower the voting age, but I do think it's contradictory, while we have so many activities that...
Michelle Brown: Yes, go on.
Michelle Brown: Well, thank you, but I don't really think that helps because the point I'm trying to make is that 'Senedd', although it's a perfectly acceptable word, it's not accessible for a lot of people. I mean, how many people out there actually instantly understand what 'Member of the Senedd' means? If you've been in connection with the Assembly for some time, yes, you might—you'll be familiar with...
Michelle Brown: 5. What assessment has the Minister made of the effectiveness of the liaison between the Welsh Government and the Future Generations Commissioner? OAQ54292
Michelle Brown: Thank you for that answer, Deputy Minister. I assume that you and the Government were delighted by the response from the future generations commissioner when you decided to ditch the M4 relief road on the grounds that it would destroy forever sites that we, as one generation, should not be depriving an untold number of future generations of. Turning historical, ancient landscape into concrete...
Michelle Brown: 4. What assessment has the Minister made of the impact that the proposed new farm payments system will have on the rural economy? OAQ54285
Michelle Brown: 8. What assessment has the Minister made of the effect that removing the ability for landlords to enact no-fault evictions would have on the rental sector? OAQ54284
Michelle Brown: Thank you for that answer, Minister. The Farmers Union of Wales has forced the Government to admit that the proposed new system may create a postcode lottery of funding for farmers. Some farmers may struggle to identify enough environmental actions to justify adequate payments, while others may find plenty of green opportunities. One of my constituents has a farm that has, for years, been...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for that answer. In April this year, the First Minister said that he wanted to remove no-fault evictions when new occupation contracts are in force, and you've already mentioned that you've introduced a consultation to extend the period a landlord needs to give tenants to quit from two months to six. So, can you tell me, and those who live in a rented home, and people who are...
Michelle Brown: 3. Will the Minister confirm whether adding the ability to speak Welsh as a desirable skill on job specifications for vacancies in the Welsh Government has increased the number of Welsh speakers within the organisation? OAQ54342
Michelle Brown: Thank you for that answer, Minister. A current Government job vacancy lists Welsh language merely as 'desirable' but then goes on to say that the postholder should be able to read some work-related material with the support of a dictionary, hold some work-related conversations and prepare some work-related materials all in Welsh. To me, that sounds like someone who can't speak Welsh would be...
Michelle Brown: 1. What assessment has the Minister made of how effective the teaching of the Welsh language is in schools? OAQ54370
Michelle Brown: 2. What assessment has the Minister made of the number of people who will be affected by the Welsh NHS’s decision to follow the approach taken by the NHS in England and remove items that have been deemed as of low clinical priority from the list of prescribable treatments? OAQ54374
Michelle Brown: Thanks for that answer, Minister. On the day GCSE results came out over the summer, school leaders said that they were extremely concerned at the fall in the percentage of 16-year-olds passing Welsh second language at A* to C, and their association called on the Welsh Government to work with them to find out what has caused the 10 per cent fall in grades. But it wasn't just Welsh they were...
