Helen Mary Jones: I'm very grateful, Dirprwy Lywydd, for the fact that we have been able to table this report today. We very much look forward to Members' contributions, and I look forward to responding later to the debate. Diolch yn fawr.
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I want to begin by thanking all Members for their contributions to this debate. One thing that I know for certain is that many people who work in the sector are very worried and feel under a lot of pressure at the moment, and they will have been hugely reassured to hear the support and the strength of feeling about the importance of the arts from across the Chamber...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I’m grateful to the Conservative group for tabling this important motion today. Of course, as we move out, perhaps, past the first health crisis phase of the crisis that faces us all, Paul Davies is quite right to say that the economic crisis will come into sharper focus, and I’m sure that we will continue to debate this and to scrutinise the Minister as the...
Helen Mary Jones: 1. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on human rights in Wales? OQ55380
Helen Mary Jones: 6. What recent discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the legal steps being taken by the women against state pension inequality against the changes made to their pension entitlement by the UK Government? OQ55379
Helen Mary Jones: 1. What preparations has the Commission put in place regarding the extension of the franchise for Senedd elections, despite the coronavirus pandemic? OQ55359
Helen Mary Jones: I thank the First Minister for his answers, and I'm sure that we're all thinking of the staff members and their families who are living through this very uncertain time. I fully understand, of course, the points the First Minister makes about the vital role of the UK Government, but we may find ourselves in a situation where there will be some Airbus jobs that will be lost, and, obviously,...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his response and for his reassurances. He will, of course, as I'm sure we all are, be aware that this crisis has impacted more seriously on some sections of the population than others. We know, for example, about the economic impact on women and the longer term impact of having to do increased domestic duties at the same time as working from home, and,...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his reply, and also for the Welsh Government's consistent and constructive approach to this very important matter. He refers to the ongoing legal action. Does he agree with me that the UK Government should now address this injustice and come forward with an appropriate redress scheme before further legal steps are taken? They have shown themselves...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Thank you very much. It's very pleasing to see that there's been such progress on this work at such an incredibly difficult time, when the staff of the Commission have had so many pressures on them. It's also, of course, been very pleasing to see the Youth Parliament continuing its work. Have you been able to make or will you be able to make any assessment about what...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the evidence sessions that have led to this report, and, like other Members, I'm very grateful for the evidence that we've received. I think we must be fair and say—. At the beginning of my contribution, I want to say that the emergency response that the Welsh Government has taken was broadly welcomed by most of our witnesses....
Helen Mary Jones: My apologies, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Helen Mary Jones: We need to ensure that we change our mindset there, and when we talk about building back better, we've talked a lot about big infrastructure projects, but we also need to think about that work, that work that women do—the caring, the shop work, all of that. We need to value that work, we need to upskill those workers, and we need to pay them a decent living wage. The Minister will have...
Helen Mary Jones: How is the curriculum bill hoping to increase the number of those learning Welsh in order to achieve the aim of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050?
Helen Mary Jones: I obviously hear what the Minister says about the way that devolved finances work, but he will be aware—I know he is aware—of how serious the crisis facing the sector is and the cliff edge that we face as we come to the position where furlough begins to be scaled back in August. There are already arts institutions that are making some staff—. They're issuing redundancy letters because...
Helen Mary Jones: Of course, we share the Minister's disappointment and are deeply sympathetic to the community around Bridgend that was, obviously, very much looking forward to the opportunities that this might have provided. May I ask the Minister, should I infer from what he said that this is a decision where we cannot expect Ineos to review their position? I think it would help people to know. And in a...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm very pleased to be able to present this report from our committee to the Assembly today, and in doing so, I want to begin by thanking the witnesses who've given us evidence and of course the committee staff who serve our committee exceptionally well. Sport, as I'm sure we all agree, is a vital part of our life in our nation, from international level to...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. And I'm very grateful to all Members who've participated in the debate. It's impossible, of course, to respond to what everybody has said, and I think there were many common themes that I will come to, in a moment, but I must mention one or two individual Members. I cannot not congratulate the Connah's Quay Nomads or Jack Sargeant would never forgive me. It's a...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I begin by thanking the Conservative group for tabling this? It is an important debate and it is right that we should be debating issues relating to transport. And there are elements of their motion with which I cannot disagree. It is a good thing that travel restrictions are being lifted. It's a good thing now that it feels safer that travel...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. I just wanted to correct or alter a comment I made in my earlier contribution. Of course, in referring to the reason why we oppose the idea that Welsh Government should never impose quarantine, I referred to an example that was outside the common travel area. It will not surprise Darren Millar, I'm sure, to know that I'm not an expert in these matters, but my point stands. It...
