David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, just to pursue Leanne Wood's question a little bit further, because she highlighted in the question as to whether you think the councils were doing enough. But clearly, housing is an issue, not just when they come out of the forces, but perhaps some time afterwards when they fall into situations where they have great difficulties. Will you work with the housing Minister to...
David Rees: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. The Ministry of Justice stress that the proposed prison at Baglan will house prisoners who are getting ready for release, and thus will need support as they prepare to learn to return to their own communities, probably mostly across south Wales, but also further afield. Now, we know that it's a challenging time for many prisoners on their release,...
David Rees: What is the Welsh Government doing to reduce the gender pay gap in Aberavon?
David Rees: I'll avoid repeating too much of what my colleagues have already said, but I will congratulate you on the way in which you've put a measured argument forward this afternoon. Can I also put on record the measured argument put forward by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance when he undertakes the negotiations as well? Perhaps that's more frustrating as to why the UK Government hasn't actually...
David Rees: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It’s a pleasure to open this debate on the report of the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee on how the Welsh Government is preparing for Brexit and also to move the motion tabled in my name. Deputy Presiding Officer, last month marked a year until the UK has to leave the European Union after the Prime Minister enacted article 50 of the...
David Rees: And, during this inquiry, we actually set out to explore how Wales, and the Welsh Government in particular, should be preparing for Brexit. The quality of our evidence base was greatly improved by both our traditional consultation process and oral evidence sessions in the Senedd, and visits to stakeholders at Swansea University, Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board and Calsonic Kansei in...
David Rees: Dirprwy Lywydd, the report makes a total of seven recommendations, and I am pleased to see that the Welsh Government has accepted, or accepted in principle, all seven. Normally, I don't go through all seven, but this time I will. Our first recommendation relates to the need for the Welsh Government to urgently examine the likely parameters of various Brexit scenarios, including a 'no deal'...
David Rees: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank Members for their contributions today and to thank the Cabinet Secretary too.
David Rees: I think it's important that we clarify some of the points. And for Leanne Wood's purposes: yes, I think, can you also pass on what an important role Steffan Lewis plays in the committee? We will also look forward to him coming back to the committee because he has an important role and he does take a deep interest in these issues and it helps the committee tremendously. So, we look forward to...
David Rees: Will you take an intervention?
David Rees: What discussions is the Welsh Government having with local health boards on monitoring nurse staffing levels within each hospital?
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, in your responses to both Suzy Davies and Bethan Jenkins, you talked about the interests of the learner and the well-being of the learner, which I fully support. But, of course, the well-being of the learner also depends on the well-being of the communities the learner lives in and is educated within, and, as has been pointed out, Cymer Afan is actually proposed to be...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, I also look forward to the uptake being increased, because the new faecal immunochemical test is obviously more sensitive and a better test. But there are two issues. I also look forward to you perhaps looking at the age 50 to 60, because we don't have that age being accepted, but there may be individuals who have a history in families doing that, which you may want to...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, as has been highlighted before, the cross-party group on cancer last week highlighted some concerns over recruitment of staff. It also highlighted that staff banding in speciality areas is actually lower in Wales than in England. Some are band 6 in Wales, where the equivalent post is a band 7 in England. Staff therefore are either migrating to an equivalent job with...
David Rees: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement, and can I put on record my recognition of the commitment he, personally, has given to this work? He has undoubtedly been leading from the front. Also, I thank Mike Russell, the Scottish Minister who's been involved, and, if I have to, David Lidington as well—also, the officials of the Welsh Government, who have, behind the scenes, on a...
David Rees: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd, and I appreciate it's been a long day, but I think it's an important area to discuss and I welcome the opportunity to deliver the short debate on the social fabric and future well-being of our Valleys communities. I'd like to inform the Senedd that I've given time to Dawn Bowden to contribute to this debate. In this short debate, I want to address the aspects of our...
David Rees: Communities First is now coming to an end, and in my particular valley, the Afan valley, it has had a positive influence upon many individuals, community groups and their neighbourhoods, as well as in other locations across Wales that I'm aware of. That is one programme we were fully supportive of, and it was a flagship for the Welsh Government for many years. The Valleys taskforce and the...
David Rees: Diolch Llywydd. Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement today, because, clearly, the important role of computing and digital competency within our future operations is critical? I won't repeat some of the points on Estyn. You've made those answers quite clear so far, but I want to remind you, perhaps—and remind everybody—that digital competency and coding are not the same...
David Rees: 3. What legal representations has the Counsel General made in relation to appeals against Care Inspectorate Wales's decision to withdraw registered status from nurseries and childcare centres? OAQ52085
David Rees: 5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with law officers in the UK Government and the Scottish Government following the referral of the Law Derived from the European Union (Wales) Bill to the Supreme Court? OAQ52086
