Mark Reckless: Will the First Minister give way?
Mark Reckless: I thank the previous Member for his contribution and support for our motion. I think that's a really important point, point 2 in our motion: we recognise the hard work of the front-line staff in the organisation, and acknowledge their dissatisfaction and lack of confidence in their senior leadership. We've seen that from the staff surveys. We say at the end of our motion that we want an...
Mark Reckless: We are quite capable of looking at alternative models while also seeing how the organisation is doing in the meantime. We're capable of doing two things at once. I'm just saying, from my own perspective, I actually was really keen to give this organisation a following wind—a sort of benefit of the doubt. When I came in, I think it was probably the major organisation in the purview of the...
Mark Reckless: I'm glad the Minister has learnt that lesson, and I agree with what he's just said. In terms of Cardiff, I think the south Wales metro offers a great opportunity for increasing public transport use instead of car use as employment is increasingly concentrated at the centre of Cardiff. But for Newport, the employment is disproportionately in business parks strung out along the current M4, and...
Mark Reckless: Given reports that the Brexit Protest and Direct Action Group, led by figures involved in the 2000 fuel protests, are threatening to disrupt Irish trade with a go-slow on the A55 this Friday and a blockade of Holyhead and Pembroke Dock on Saturday, what will the Welsh Government do to minimise disruption?
Mark Reckless: Hasn't the damage been done by those on the losing side of that referendum who have refused to accept the result and will not implement it?
Mark Reckless: On a point of order, Llywydd.
Mark Reckless: Well, he waved his hand in my direction and said 'you'.
Mark Reckless: Will the Member give way?
Mark Reckless: The Member, when we had that debate, attacked me and shouted at me that I was a visitor. I've lived in this country for over three years, and I was attacked by you, as a visitor. In this debate, I've been attacked as a liar, and nothing is done about it. That is not democracy and that is not how a Parliament should operate.
Mark Reckless: Calling me a visitor. Will you apologise for that?
Mark Reckless: You've just insulted me by calling me a visitor and then you won't apologise.
Mark Reckless: Point of order.
Mark Reckless: Surely the UK Government has been taxing rather than subsidising carbon use. Will the First Minister not congratulate George Osborne on his carbon tax, which has cut coal use by three quarters, or congratulate the UK Government rather than call it neanderthal, as UK carbon emissions have fallen faster than almost anywhere else in the world, by around 40 per cent since 1990 compared to only 17...
Mark Reckless: Aneurin Bevan health board confirmed to me today that of their 398 GPs, only 34 of those are in Blaenau Gwent, and that's 8.5 per cent of the total compared to perhaps the around 12 per cent we'd expect by population. One way they try and tackle this is through the directly employed GPs, and I was pleased to hear that, actually, the majority of those were in Blaenau Gwent, but less pleased to...
Mark Reckless: I thank the Chair for his leadership of our work in this area and the clerks for their support. I look forward to hearing from the Minister. Some people, I think, have questioned our participative approach of asking for ideas, but I think it is a good one and I would like to commend it. Although on the first day in office you haven't come to us with a list of what you'll be doing, you're...
Mark Reckless: 4. What is the Welsh Government’s policy on implementing the decision made in the EU referendum? OAQ53801
Mark Reckless: The people of Wales voted to leave the European Union. Now, the First Minister doesn't agree with that decision, but doesn't he need to respect it? Did he see the results in the local elections in England last week and, in particular, that by far the worst results for Labour were across ex-coalfield communities? Does he agree with the Members who represent Blaenau Gwent, which voted to leave...
Mark Reckless: 4. What is the Welsh Government’s policy on implementing the decision made in the EU referendum? OAQ53800
Mark Reckless: Has the Minister seen the need to make any improvements at the Valleys taskforce since he took over as the Minister?
