David Lloyd: Can I ask the Cabinet Secretary the wider point about how this Assembly, Welsh Government and Secretary of State for Wales work together, or not, and how we, as an Assembly, can scrutinise the performance of the Secretary of State? Now, I don't want to go back to the old days of an annual appearance by the viceroy here, but we have so many issues where we needed dedicated, high-level support...
David Lloyd: I’m pleased to participate in this important debate and I’m grateful for the opportunity to state my dissatisfaction with the decision taken by Theresa May, taken without consultation with Members of Parliament in Westminster. May I pay tribute, first of all, to the powerful leadership of Leanne Wood in this debate and also congratulate Mike Hedges and Julie Morgan on their wonderful...
David Lloyd: Well, that’s the fundamental point emerging from our report as a health committee. Further to the examples that we’ve already heard mentioned, which are going to be vulnerable in terms of long-term funding, do you believe that you, as a Government, should be providing greater clarity and more priority to this fundamental point—not only praising the service, but also saying something...
David Lloyd: Leader of the house, you'll be aware that the issue of delayed transfers of care is one that has been a constant challenge for this Government. Figures released last week, dealing with the month of March, show that 391 patients were suffering delayed transfers of care, with delays arranging social care a significant part of that figure. Now, as I recall, a decade ago we were dealing with...
David Lloyd: May I thank the Minister for his statement on accessible monuments for all? Now, of course, accessibility to monuments isn’t a new challenge. The castles of the middle ages naturally were built to prevent accessibility, and it was quite a challenge to survive that. It cost a great deal at the time to prevent people from accessing these sites. Notably, Owain Glyndŵr had a few successes in...
David Lloyd: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the health and well-being area of learning and experience in the new curriculum?
David Lloyd: Further to those comments—and I agree with all the comments thus far—Mick Antoniw would know that a recent University of South Wales study showed that a quarter of gamblers do not consider themselves to be gamblers, and that applies to children as well. So, pushing further on this issue of education in schools, obviously my colleague Bethan Sayed previously has raised the principles of...
David Lloyd: Can I welcome the statement by the Chair of our committee, the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, Mick Antoniw? I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed and those expressed by David Melding, a fellow member of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee. This is a serious matter—absolutely serious matter—because, and I won't go over the history again,...
David Lloyd: Can I say how personally devastated I am by your statement, Cabinet Secretary? And, in the interests of time, I will just concentrate on some questions. Over the years, we've gained powers here in response to referendum results that we've had here in Wales. Twenty four of our powers are about to be frozen for up to seven years in a deep freeze. That's handing powers from this place to...
David Lloyd: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move that the National Assembly for Wales calls on the UK Government to hold a public consultation on the proposed renaming of the second Severn crossing. Naturally, I would hope that you would agree with that and vote against the Labour amendment. Adam Price mentioned the broader context last week—that to force this decision on renaming the...
David Lloyd: Now, I'm an easy-going sort of bloke, but I thought I would remind you of the history in terms of princes of Wales. In 1282, the last Welsh Prince of Wales was killed. Edward I glorified in the passing of Wales's royal family and proclaimed his newborn son as the new Prince of Wales from the ramparts of Caernarfon castle and, in an act of sophistry, reassured the people of Wales that this new...
David Lloyd: Following your direction, Deputy Presiding Officer, I will keep things brief. It’s possible that many of the people of Wales would propose alternative names to the Secretary of State. Perhaps there will be proposals that the bridge should be named after some of the true princes and princesses of Wales, such as ‘Hywel Dda Road’, ‘The Gwenllian Highway'—
David Lloyd: Oh, here we go. Come on, then.
David Lloyd: Desperate stuff. It brings me back to the Bil ymadael.
David Lloyd: But why bother with the naming of bridges in any case, when there are far more important issues to be resolved? Our demands as part of this debate today are simple: give the people of Wales a chance to have their say on the name given to one of the most notable structures of our nation, or not to name it at all, rather than allowing the Conservatives to trample all over the welcome mat of Wales.
David Lloyd: Leader of the house, I'd like to ask for two statements if, possible. The first relates to the announcement today by the Welsh Local Government Association, who claim that children's services in Wales are nearly 'at crisis point'—and I quote. Now, clearly, increasing demand and reducing budgets is a recipe for disaster, as we all know. We have seen recently the difficulties in Powys, and...
David Lloyd: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I've got two issues. The first one: it was clearly a desperately disappointing day last Thursday as we learnt of the news that nearly 800 jobs are to go at the Virgin Media call centre in Llansamlet in Swansea. The loss of hundreds of jobs is clearly going to have an impact locally. It means a huge uncertain and distressing time for staff and their families....
David Lloyd: Obviously, the delivery of the tidal lagoon is clearly an important element in this whole jigsaw, and we still want to see that. I suppose we won't even mind if the thing is called 'Prince of Wales tidal lagoon', as long as we get a tidal lagoon. By the way, equally important—[Interruption.] Equally important are the smaller energy projects, so in terms of ownership with the smaller energy...
David Lloyd: It's fair to say it's been a huge, devastating blow to Swansea—772 jobs, or 800 in round figures, lost, and a knock-on effect on dozens of families locally. My first question is: where can we signpost individual workers who are getting in touch with us as Assembly Members expecting us to have some details to hand with regard to what they do know? I'd be grateful for some practical advice...
David Lloyd: Alcohol is a major risk factor for cancer, as we've just heard. In fact, it's a class 1 carcinogen, and it's the third biggest preventable risk factor for cancer and is linked to causing at least seven types of cancer from its corrosive effects: mouth and lip cancer; tongue, pharynx and laryngeal cancer; oesophageal cancer, all the way down; as well as being associated with liver cancer and...
