Sioned Williams: Well, it's a genuine pleasure and privilege to speak on this statement and to speak on the first occasion that this Senedd has had to discuss LGBTQ+ equality, and I thank the Minister for her statement. As spokesperson for social justice and equalities, I feel passionately for ensuring that we as a nation never give up on striving for true equality for the LGBTQ+ community, and that we put...
Sioned Williams: 8. What representations has the Counsel General made on behalf of the Welsh Government regarding the appropriateness of current legislation relating to home-to-school transport? OQ56697
Sioned Williams: 2. Will the Commission make a statement on the introduction of job-sharing arrangements for Members of the Senedd? OQ56696
Sioned Williams: Diolch, Llywydd. Weinidog, we've heard already this afternoon about the recent report published by the Bevan Foundation, which has provided us—as the title of the report suggests—with a snapshot of poverty in Wales during this spring 2021 period. The report makes for shocking reading, I'm sure you'll agree. What's more shocking are the problems the pandemic has exacerbated. The stark...
Sioned Williams: Thank you. The same report has found that one in three households in Wales don't have enough money to buy anything beyond the daily basics. We're talking around 110,000 households, roughly the same number of households as are in the city of Swansea. Hundreds of thousands of people across the nation are forced to borrow money, taking them further into debt, having to cut back on food, heating,...
Sioned Williams: In such a bleak economic landscape, and without the power, as you referenced earlier, to ensure a fairer, more humane welfare system than that on offer from the Tory Westminster Government, the discretionary assistance fund is a vital source of support. While the Welsh Government invested an additional amount of money into the DAF and made eligibility criteria for accessing the support more...
Sioned Williams: Diolch. I'm aware that there were discussions held in the last Senedd term concerning the appropriateness of the current legislation with regard to home-to-school transport. The home-to-school transport legislation currently in place does not provide free transport to primary school children if they live within two miles of their school, or within three miles for a secondary school pupil....
Sioned Williams: Thank you. We know that there are a number of barriers for groups that aren't sufficiently represented, such as women, from standing for elected office. The long hours can be difficult to deal with, particularly in light of childcare responsibilities, caring responsibilities or other responsibilities. As you've mentioned, during the last term of the Senedd, two reports recommended that job...
Sioned Williams: With the Wimbledon tennis championships having begun this week, I'm delighted to congratulate a group of Neath residents who have undertaken the refurbishment of the town's tennis courts. And they've been recognised by the LTA, the Lawn Tennis Association, at their annual awards as one of the best community tennis projects in the UK. Quite a feat.
Sioned Williams: Neath Tennis was formed in 2018 by the residents of Dyfed Road, with the intention of reopening the tennis courts that had been closed for 10 years. In less than three years, the group of volunteers managed to raise over £100,000 to resurface the court and to put fences in place. The group is very proud of having ensured that this facility is available for the whole community, and has kept...
Sioned Williams: I'm pleased to make a brief contribution to this important debate. The General Dental Council notes that, because of the pandemic, which has exacerbated health inequalities, that older people and those considered clinically vulnerable face increasing challenges in accessing all sorts of dental care, and it's clear that some care home residents fall into that category. And I believe, even...
Sioned Williams: 7. What assessment has the First Minister made of council tax levels in South Wales West? OQ56766
Sioned Williams: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. You'll be aware that Neath Port Talbot Council consistently sets one of the highest council tax levels in Wales. Residents simply can't understand why it costs NPT council so much more to deliver services compared to neighbouring counties. There's an issue of fairness at the heart of this. And whilst accepting each local authority's democratic right...
Sioned Williams: The Minister will be aware that the Swansea valley, in his own constituency, is linguistically significant because it includes the highest number and highest percentage of Welsh speakers in Neath Port Talbot—among the highest in the whole of Wales in fact. In relation to the objectives set out by the Minister today in terms of developing Welsh-medium education, safeguarding and developing...
Sioned Williams: —beyond the sphere of education. So, what are the plans in order to support these as part of the work programme? Thank you.
Sioned Williams: 6. What assessment has the Minister made of the contribution that a Swansea Bay tidal lagoon would make towards meeting the Welsh Government’s environmental targets? OQ56774
Sioned Williams: Thank you for that response.
Sioned Williams: It's been three years since the UK Government once again turned its back on Wales by refusing to invest in the Swansea bay tidal lagoon, and it's two years since the Swansea bay city region submitted a revised vision, the Dragon Energy Island project, to Welsh Government. Despite that particular report suggesting that by July 2021 construction could begin on the lagoon, that time has arrived...
Sioned Williams: Prif Weinidog, the ability of pregnant women to have their partners present during pregnancy assessments, scans and around the birth is something that has been raised throughout the pandemic. It's been a particularly difficult time for many women who ordinarily would have had the support of their partner or nominated person to support them during what can be a very challenging and emotional...
Sioned Williams: Thank you, Llywydd. The unprecedented impact of COVID has held a mirror up to our society. What we see in the reflection is not only the impact of the last difficult months on everyone, but also the difference in the impact on different parts of our society—the difference that arises from economic inequality. And the picture that we see is not a new one, either. It is tragically familiar,...
