Hefin David: Chair, I would have liked to have taken the opportunity today to have nominated Mike Hedges and Alun Davies as joint Chairs of this committee on a job share, and, I have to say, it is disappointing that Business Committee has decided today not to allow a joint Chair to go ahead. I feel that it's an opportunity missed, and I'd like to put that on the record.
Hefin David: The Minister just made reference to Careers Wales/Gyrfa Cymru, with particular reference to the role that they will play in delivering the young person's guarantee. How will he make sure that they're both supported, adequately resourced and their staff are properly paid to deliver this programme?
Hefin David: Come on, Russ.
Hefin David: Will the Minister make a statement on support for independent travel agents affected by the coronavirus pandemic?
Hefin David: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Excellent Welsh, by the way.
Hefin David: I don't know whether I'm delighted or disappointed that I see from the voting advice from the whips that the Welsh Government is voting in favour of our motion today. I think I'd probably be a bit worried if they changed their minds at the end of the debate. The aim of the debate today is to hear Members' views. I want to try and open this up and hear Members' views on this key issue as we...
Hefin David: On the nature and the role of the small business, I think we often misunderstand the role of small businesses. They aren't engines of employment. In fact, the number of small businesses relative to population size is fairly static over time. I think we've got something like 6 million small businesses in the UK at this point in time—heading towards 6 million—and of those, the vast majority...
Hefin David: It's a good job I know the Minister well enough not to be offended by some of the jibes he made in his speech just then. I'll come to the things he said in a second, but I just wanted to make a comment about Delyth Jewell's contribution, because I think we were born in the same hospital, we went to school in the same town and I currently live in the place where she grew up, and also, you may...
Hefin David: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the impact of COVID-19 variants of concern on communities in Caerphilly? OQ56785
Hefin David: As you can imagine, a lot of Caerphilly residents have contacted me about international travel, and it seems, from the answer to Rhun ap Iorwerth, that the Welsh Government is minded to go in the same direction as the UK Government, for very practical reasons. That means people will travel at an amber level, even if advised not to. In England, TUI is offering travellers a £20 PCR test run by...
Hefin David: I fully support the Counsel General's approach to this. I think it's bold, and it is Wales leading the way. We can't have asked for more than that. But I also feel some disappointment in that this is a longer term plan, which relies on the agreement of others, whereas right within the Welsh Government's grasp is a chance to produce 'A Parliament that Works for Wales'. That work's already been...
Hefin David: Was I called then?
Hefin David: I couldn't hear your voice, Dirprwy Lywydd. I've been contacted by a constituent whose son is coming to the end of year eight, and he’s concerned that successive lockdowns have meant his son has fallen significantly behind with his spoken and written Welsh in a Welsh-medium school. He’s contacted the National Centre for Learning Welsh—the NCLW—to ask about extra tuition over the...
Hefin David: Would the Minister consider expanding the remit of NCLW, perhaps simply for this summer, given the exceptional circumstances that exist, in order to allow them to provide support and additional training to those under the age of 18, for example to pupils in Welsh-medium secondary schools from non-Welsh-speaking households?
Hefin David: 6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's response to the UK Government's reform of social care funding? OQ56834
Hefin David: I'd respectfully say to the First Minister it would have been helpful, perhaps, to have had a verbal statement in the Chamber this afternoon on this, given that it was raised by the Deputy Minister for Social Services at the press conference and a written statement's been issued, and I think not least because national insurance is the most regressive way of funding additional social care, and...
Hefin David: Will the Minister make a statement about local government boundary reforms?
Hefin David: 7. What plans does the Welsh Government have to tackle the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Caerphilly constituency? OQ56893
Hefin David: One thing that impacts the Caerphilly constituency is the UK Government's plans for international travel. We've heard that they are now going to be abandoning the amber aspect of the list and consolidating the green list. I think that's from 4 October. But the UK Government have also indicated that they will no longer require a PCR test on return for travellers returning to England later in...
Hefin David: Would you take an intervention?
