Bethan Sayed: We all know in this room that the bus pass replacement deadline comes up on 31 December. I know we've seen reports and I've also had constituents come to my office about how difficult it has been to get that replacement. Many people, especially from the elderly generation, have been pushed online, but then I'm being told by some of the office staff who are administrating the process that they...
Bethan Sayed: I won't go over some of the recommendations that people have talked about already, but I would say that this was a really important inquiry that we did on banking here in Wales. I echo some of the comments made about why we all have an interest, because branches are closing the length and breadth of Wales, which is not only stopping vulnerable people from accessing services, but stopping...
Bethan Sayed: That's fine, but that would then put a lot of pressure on them to reach the £20 million. If they are comfortable in knowing that they can do that, past the £600,000, that's perfect. But, I'm merely asking, because of the way that they've responded to our recommendation, where they say that 'it is not at this stage to provide the more significant investment', it suggests to me that there...
Bethan Sayed: I'd like to concur with some of the comments made previously that this is an amazing opportunity for many young people, not only academically, but it can change their lives and the people they meet and the type of lifestyle they'll go on to lead in this country. And I do think that, as a party of aspiration, the Conservatives are taking the wrong stance here, because if they believe that...
Bethan Sayed: I'm aware we've had many statements on steel in this Chamber, and I'm grateful for that, but over the weekend I was reliably informed that one particular contractor in Port Talbot has laid off 16 members of staff already. Basically, they were told by Tata that they would get the invoice for the goods that they bought to do a job but that they won't be carrying forth with that particular...
Bethan Sayed: Will the Minister provide an update on discussions held with Neath Port Talbot Council regarding re-opening Godre'r Graig Primary School?
Bethan Sayed: Diolch. As far as I'm aware, this is my last session scrutinising before I go on maternity leave, all being well, so whoever's taking over from me, I wish them all the very best. Erasmus is the core of our students' opportunities to study abroad and without it, as we said yesterday, thousands of students would not have the opportunity to have travelled and to have experienced that abroad. It...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you. Just to pick up on your first point about maternity leave, I'm sure that there will be lots of people who are pleased that I won't be rushing back. [Laughter.] In terms of worst-case scenarios, I asked the First Minister yesterday, which you were here for, in terms of contingencies that can be made, specifically in terms of the possibility of further education and higher...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you very much for that. That's clear. The issue of Erasmus throws up some other questions in my mind, where we might not agree so much, I think—but I haven't said it yet—related to the wider health of the HE sector. Media reports over the weekend were clear that HE faces some very big challenges. The Vice Chancellor of Cardiff Met said—and I quote—that the talk of the sector was...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. First, I'd like to say that this issue has garnered widespread public interest, and while we're not the education committee, having conducted a public poll on what the public thought that we as a committee should investigate as a committee, this matter came to the fore. Over 2,500 people responded to that poll and 44 per cent said that we should look into this...
Bethan Sayed: 'I want the kids who live in the docks...to know about north Wales...as much as I want the people in Harlech...to know about the docks and about the coal industry...because it's about Wales. This is our country, and we need to know the total of how we got here, and, more importantly, how we're going to move forward. And we can only move forward together.'
Bethan Sayed: Crucially, Race Council Cymru told us that black history should be specified as part of the new curriculum, and it should not be optional. Surely if the new curriculum is supposed to be a vision for Wales, then we should ensure that all learners in Wales have the same chance to understand the events that have shaped us as a nation and built our identity? Giving more flexibility in terms of...
Bethan Sayed: 'The new curriculum requires much wider areas of learning and it also requires teachers to be more autonomous, to be more flexible and to create more content themselves'. And that with current funding: 'to ask teachers to do that job, it's just unfair.'
Bethan Sayed: In terms of diversity, I've already touched upon this, but we also heard that we need to reflect the diverse history of Wales. I'm really pleased that the committee did look at this in some detail, which I don't think has happened previously in this Senedd. We are not reassured that it is definitely going to be included under the new curriculum's emphasis on locality. We called for ethnic and...
Bethan Sayed: Diolch. I know I won't have time to reflect on everybody's contributions, but I am grateful as well for the wealth of contributions that we've had and the wealth of interest that we've had in this debate here today. It only goes to show the emphasis we all put on our own histories and our own version of histories, and I guess that's where I think the Minister is saying that putting a line...
Bethan Sayed: 2. Will the First Minister outline how the Welsh Government is tackling domestic abuse in Wales? OAQ54954
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that answer. I know the Welsh Government has put in many different practices in relation to coercive control, which I welcome, and you will know, from the debate last week that we had on rape—the Plaid Cymru debate—I hosted an event with David and Sally Challen in the Senedd building. And what struck me was that many of the victims will just not know that some of the many...
Bethan Sayed: Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to improve public transport in South Wales West?
Bethan Sayed: Thank you. I'm pleased to be able to take part in this debate. I won't go through the whole of the motion, because I believe that we've exercised much of that in previous debate, so I'll go through the amendments. I think it is a bit ironic for the Tories to say that they want people to fulfil potential, because our first amendment is something that may be threatened by that, because of the...
Bethan Sayed: I just wanted to know, of the £24 million—. Because I chair the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee; we did ask the Minister who came in there how much of that money would be going to apprenticeships through the medium of the Welsh language. Because we didn't find fully information about how much that would be, and, if you could clarify, that would be very helpful.
