Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement this afternoon. There is a great deal that I’d be happy to support. Of course, Plaid Cymru has welcomed the Furlong report and the recommendations therein, and the Plaid Cymru manifesto for the recent elections did outline some of the specific aspects of what we believe is needed to strengthen initial...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I move the motion in the name of Plaid Cymru, Plaid Cymru, of course, has called this debate this afternoon to note that it is now three years since the publication of Professor Sioned Davies’s report, commissioned by the Welsh Government, on the situation of Welsh as a second language in English-medium schools. The report’s conclusion, of course,...
Llyr Gruffydd: Plaid Cymru and I are of the view that this is unacceptable. Educators within the sector are of the opinion that it is unacceptable, and, indeed, the Welsh Government policy itself states that this is unacceptable. So let us now take serious, determined steps to create this one Welsh-medium continuum. It’s not enough on its own, of course, but it is a key part of a broader strategy. If we...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you to all the Members who have contributed to the debate. Thank you also for the support for the intention behind the motion—the difference is, of course, in how we go about this, as the Minister has said, and at what pace the various different elements are brought together. Of course, that makes it even more distressing to think that three...
Llyr Gruffydd: I applaud the contribution of the Chair of the education committee. She’s perfectly right to underline the fact that the proponents of grammar schools for reasons of enhanced social mobility seem to be stubbornly resistant to the facts. You seem obsessed with the situation in England. Let’s look at the facts in England, because there less than 3 per cent of all pupils who go into grammar...
Llyr Gruffydd: We can forget the 11-plus exam, we’ve got 11-plus different attitudes towards grammar schools just on these Conservative benches here, right. You know, you can call yourselves an opposition party—you’re an imitation party, I have to say, aping and imitating UKIP on too many policies as far as I’m concerned. Let’s be clear on this one, right. Research shows that, where there are...
Llyr Gruffydd: Will you take an intervention?
Llyr Gruffydd: 8. Will the First Minister make a statement on the shortage of doctors in North Wales? OAQ(5)0164(FM)[W]
Llyr Gruffydd: Well, I’m not sure if I want to thank you for that response because it’s a very different picture painted if you count the number of doctors that correspond to full-time equivalents. But, the question I wanted to ask you is this: one of the problems with the recruitment of GPs to rural areas is the lack of wider health facilities that are available to them. GPs don’t want to fail in...
Llyr Gruffydd: May I thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement? I also want to endorse the thanks that you’ve given to professor Diamond and his panel, and, indeed, the wider sector and everyone who’s contributed to this lengthy process, but a process I’m sure that will be valuable as we move towards creating a better and improved regime. In my view, this does offer a more sustainable model....
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Llywydd. You will be aware, I’m sure, Cabinet Secretary, that recent Research by the National Union of Teachers Cymru has revealed that teachers in Wales had lost up to 52,000 school days last year because of sickness as a result of pressures of work. It seems that 12 local authorities in Wales have recorded an increase in absence because of stress, and the research estimates...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you for that response. Of course, it seems that this stress is mostly apparent on headteachers, who, at the end of the day, have to do a great deal of the additional bureaucratic work. We know that there are difficulties here in Wales, with a number of vacant headteacher positions and a number of temporary headteachers in place. This, again, creates more stress not only for those...
Llyr Gruffydd: You’ve said twice, in response to both questions, that you acknowledge that there is a problem. You’ve mentioned some things that are in the pipeline or are already commenced and you also talk about having a dialogue later in the year. But the fact of the matter is that teachers and headteachers are facing those challenges and stresses now. I don’t know if you’re aware, but in one...
Llyr Gruffydd: We know the destructive impact that TB is having economically on farm families and businesses and on communities. It’s also having a detrimental emotional effect on individuals in destroying generations of work in developing pedigree and quality stock. I don’t need to paint that picture, but I am concerned sometimes that we are desensitised, particularly if we as politicians aren’t...
Llyr Gruffydd: The digital competence framework, of course, is one of a number of frameworks that are to be introduced over the next few years. One concern that’s been expressed, of course, is a lack of time within the academic year, as it’s currently structured, to train and prepare teachers and educators to take full advantage of these frameworks. Given that there’s only around 5 days available for...
Llyr Gruffydd: Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of beds in community hospitals?
Llyr Gruffydd: You tell us clearly that you don’t expect the service to be perfect, but surely we should expect the service to be better. Yet, here we are again facing what could be another serious scandal of poor patient care in north Wales. Only this time, of course, the sanction of special measures has already been used. So, it’s difficult to see, if our worst fears are realised, where the Government...
Llyr Gruffydd: There is evidence, of course, that children who fall behind in the early years, particularly in terms of cognitive development, are more likely to struggle later in life in terms of lifetime opportunities. There is now evidence showing that having degree-level practitioners in the early years context is of great assistance in ensuring that that doesn’t happen. Now, your Government, of...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’m just after a bit more clarity, Cabinet Secretary, around your proposed children’s zones for Wales. Are they geographical zones? Will they be following the footprint of Communities First areas or Flying Start? Because you also say in your statement that you’re not convinced that continuing to focus on 52 small areas is the most effective way to...
Llyr Gruffydd: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on biosafety on farms in Wales? OAQ(5)0044(ERA)[W]
