David Melding: Llywydd, Steffan's voice was a strong voice on the constitution. He had a depth of understanding that allowed him to soar to the heights of political thought. Llywydd, we were both elected in 1999, and I don't think I've ever heard a more generous voice on fundamental matters. His knowledge and use of the parliamentary process allowed him to promote the concept of the continuity Act, as we've...
David Melding: First Minister, I join you in commending the work of Lynne Neagle and her committee, which I think has been key in this area. Can I highlight the increasing pressures caused by internet use, particularly social media? Children in the UK now spend more time on the internet than any other country apart from Chile in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and we are way...
David Melding: I would like to request a statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services on the case of my constituent, Mr Barry Topping-Morris. Mr Topping-Morris was the head of nursing at the Caswell Clinic in the then Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust when he was removed from post in 2005. He had brought to the attention of senior management what he considered irregularities in the assessment and...
David Melding: Minister, I hope you and your very promising deputy have had a chance to read the Conservative group's strategy on liveable cities. Indeed, if you and your wider team want us to run a seminar for you, we'd be delighted to inform you of our thoughts. I think one thing that we were struck by is that some cities around the UK have really been key for economic development in their regions and...
David Melding: If I might amplify Vikki Howells's point, the true irony of our current position is that the vast majority of businesses that export into the single market will want to continue to observe the regulatory framework that is set today, and for the future, by the EU. I've heard what you've said about the preparations, but will you also be working with the likes of the Confederation of British...
David Melding: I do believe that this report's publication is a landmark for everyone concerned to ensure that people living in buildings like Grenfell Tower, but in the private sector, are safe and feel safe, and I do hope that the Minister will continuously update this Assembly on the progress that the Government are making towards implementing the recommendations. I think it was one of the first acts you...
David Melding: Can I thank Jack for raising this really important issue of mental health first aid in the workplace? I speak as someone who's had my own mental health problems quite consistently throughout my adult life, and it has impacted in the workplace, there's no doubt about that. I think in an informal way I've been supported and I've struggled through and most of the time I've been in good health....
David Melding: We deeply regret the abolition of the right to buy. That debate has been had, and we move on. We certainly need to concentrate and forge a new consensus around rapid increase in house building, which will now be our main focus, but we do regret this legislation deeply, and, on this side of the Assembly, we would seek to reintroduce the right to buy on a reformed basis at our earliest...
David Melding: Minister, do you welcome the UK Government's recent decision to commit to air quality standards based on World Health Organization recommendations, which are much tougher than the EU recommendations, and, indeed, to commit to reducing the number of people living in areas that breach WHO guidelines and to reduce it by half, at least, by 2025? I understand the UK Government is about to publish...
David Melding: Minister, the flight of SMEs from house building is a UK phenomenon, and it's really stark. In the 1980s, about 40 per cent of house building was conducted by the SME sector; it's as low as 10 per cent in some parts of the country now. We clearly need to turn this around, and I think you're right to look at the stalled sites. Welsh Government research in 2015 said there were nearly 400 such...
David Melding: First Minister, I'm sure you'll want to commend the work of the Auditor General for Wales, who has pointed out that 82 per cent of this spend is to cover for vacancies. And he also says there's a real issue of skills shortages and poor data, especially the lack of consistent and comparable data, which is impeding the leadership that we need from the health boards. What are you going to do...
David Melding: Can I start by thanking our Chairman, David Rees, for the way he's led the committee? I think he's done so with great alacrity. This is very pressing and serious work and I do appreciate the way you've chaired our meetings and sought to draw out a consensus amongst committee members. But the first thing to emphasise is that, if we leave the EU without a transitionary period, then the...
David Melding: 6. When will the Minister issue the 2019 pay remit guidance for Welsh Government sponsored bodies? OAQ53309
David Melding: Minister, obviously, this, then, has to be applied from 1 April, and I think it's really important that we see its publication as soon as possible. The end of February is cutting it very fine for them to put various measures in place so that they can implement these pay awards effectively. Is there any prospect of you accelerating the announcement, which is already fairly late, I think, in...
David Melding: Minister, to mark its hosting of the Rugby World Cup, the Japanese Government has launched the Japan-UK season of culture. There's an active committee in Wales promoting events here. I do hope it will get extensive participation from the Welsh Government because we should celebrate our links with Japan. They've done so much economically, and there are many cultural linkages as well, and this...
David Melding: Will you give way?
David Melding: I am grateful to you for giving way. I supported the deal. I wanted to remain in the European Union and I fought hard to achieve that, and failed. But I don't think it was failure in the face of a barrage of lies, though there was a lot of slipping and sliding what people said. But I've accepted the result. I greatly regret the fact that if every Conservative had voted for that deal two weeks...
David Melding: Will you take an intervention?
David Melding: I'm grateful for his giving way, because I was elected in 1999. I accepted the result in 1997. The senior members of the group, once we moved to Nick Bourne's leadership, did a lot of work at that time, and our members didn't always thank us. I think you refer to UK manifesto—loose wording in that—but it was never—never—the policy of the Welsh Conservative Party in this Chamber.
David Melding: I think, frankly, First Minister, that administrative devolution in this area would be a very meagre thing. Now, since 1945, the social contract that's been the bedrock of the welfare state is that a citizen has a direct relationship with the state for a level of economic security and, no matter where he or she lives in the United Kingdom, they have the same basic economic rights to benefits....
