Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Brif Weinidog. Palliative care can represent a huge spectrum of different emotions. It's an incredibly sensitive time for all involved, individuals, families and friends. For many, the decision to move to palliative care comes far, far too soon. For others, it can be an accepted relief. What we must ensure is that, when those difficult conversations are being made when the time comes...
Jayne Bryant: What plans does the Welsh Government have to improve bus services in south-east Wales?
Jayne Bryant: Thank you for that statement, Minister. In December, the Red Cross launched its new report, 'Every time it rains', which highlighted that more needs to be done to support communities to better prepare for and recover from flooding. The report raises several points, but most concerning for me were the findings that awareness of flood risk among those living in areas that are at risk of...
Jayne Bryant: 7. How is the Welsh Government tackling the cost-of-living crisis in Newport West? OQ59015
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Prif Weinidog. The Federation of Small Businesses has suggested that almost one in four of the UK's small companies could be forced to close, downsize, or restructure, thanks to the UK Government slashing subsidies for companies' energy bills. They have estimated that many small companies will get as little as £50 per year in future Government support, whilst the Resolution...
Jayne Bryant: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of employment levels in south-east Wales?
Jayne Bryant: I’m speaking this afternoon in my capacity as Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee. As a committee, we are all very much aware of the significant financial difficulties facing the Ministers setting this year’s budget. We know that children and other vulnerable groups of people are disproportionately impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. An estimated 31 per cent of...
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. I'm very pleased to open this debate on the Children, Young People, and Education Committee’s report on pupil absence. We undertook a short, focused inquiry last summer to try to understand the impact of the pandemic on school attendance. We knew that, prior to the pandemic, there had been a strong focus, both at school and national levels, to tackle school absence....
Jayne Bryant: We made seven recommendations in total, all of which were accepted or accepted in principle. We know the Welsh Government are currently reviewing their attendance guidance, and we're glad to see the Minister commit to this review, encompassing the exclusions and behaviour guidance, as these issues are so closely linked. We also welcome the commitment that the revised guidance will be...
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Thank you to all Members who've contributed to the debate today and for the Minister's response. I'd also like to put on record my grateful thanks to our excellent clerking team, our researchers and outreach team who've really supported us as a committee. There really is clearly a shared ambition here to ensure that children and young people are able to attend school...
Jayne Bryant: I'd just like to take this opportunity to raise rail enhancement funding. As everyone in this Chamber knows, including those on the Conservative benches, Wales has been completely shortchanged by Westminster Governments: no Barnett consequentials from HS2, and underfunding over years that goes into billions. The Conservatives' own Hendry report endorses the recommendations of the Burns...
Jayne Bryant: I'm speaking today in my capacity as the Chair of the Children, Young People, and Education Committee, and, as a committee, we very much welcome the motion tabled today, and the opportunity it provides for us to debate the EMA. My fellow committee members and I have had a keen interest in the EMA since we first considered it as part of our scrutiny of the Welsh Government's 2022-23 draft...
Jayne Bryant: I'm really grateful to my good friend, and fellow Newportonian for leading this debate today.
Jayne Bryant: Thank you, John. It's a pleasure to contribute today.
Jayne Bryant: Now, I want to start my contribution by insisting that I'm not that old, yet, when I went to primary school in Newport, I was taught the national anthem in English. I have to say that that's never come in handy, but, thankfully, my parents and grandparents had already taught me it in Welsh. Newport, through its old Monmouthshire county days, was not seen as fully part of Wales, and that...
Jayne Bryant: This news has been absolutely heartbreaking, and my deepest and sincere condolences go to the family and friends of Eve, Darcy and Rafel during this utterly awful time, and my thoughts go out to Sophie and Shane, who are in that critical condition, for their speedy recovery. This tragic incident has reverberated around the country, and is felt keenly in Newport. Maesglas community is a...
Jayne Bryant: 1. Will the Welsh Government provide an update on the use of social prescribing in south-east Wales? OQ59374
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Prif Weinidog. And it's good you've mentioned Ffrind i Mi—a great organisation. I fully welcome the Welsh Government's commitment to developing a national framework for social prescribing. At a time when A&E and GP surgeries are under pressure, it's vital that we grasp every opportunity at preventative care. One example of where this is happening is at the laundry garden at Tredegar...
Jayne Bryant: 8. Will the Minister provide an update on the progress of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan? OQ59359
Jayne Bryant: Thank you for that answer, Minister. It’s good to hear the progress on that. This year marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Windrush generation arriving in the UK. Many came to Wales and my home town, Newport, and it was wonderful to see the exhibition ‘Windrush Cymru—Our Voices, Our Stories, Our History’ at Newport’s Riverfront theatre earlier this month, as part of its tour...
