Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I also put on record, on behalf of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, our best wishes to Andrew R.T. Davies in his recovery and thank him for his very bold and clear statements in terms of his mental health? Minister, I'd like to thank you for bringing forward this very important debate and issue. The mental well-being of our children and young people is so...
Jane Dodds: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I'd also like to thank Sally Holland.
Jane Dodds: Thank you for all your work, not just throughout the past year, which has been an exceptionally difficult year, but since being appointed in 2015. I'd just like to focus on one small issue, and again, I'm asking the Minister to look at a road map in relation to this particular issue, and that is children in care. The number of children looked after in Wales has increased by 38 per cent over...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. May I ask you again about business rates? Because, like many colleagues in this Chamber, we're asked about business rates by small family businesses, which, at this particular time, are under a great deal of pressure. I'm just interested to know how the Welsh Government communicates to those businesses, particularly small family businesses, what reforms are taking...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. Just following on from my colleague's question around the River Wye, living on the River Wye as I do, in Hay-on-Wye, I do get additional questions and issues brought up around this issue. It's a very live concern. The River Wye, like other rivers, runs through both England and Wales, so there is a complex issue here about how we work across borders. This week, The...
Jane Dodds: 6. Will the First Minister outline the progress on the Government’s plans to pilot a universal basic income? OQ57074
Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, and thank you very much for the opportunity to say a very few words at this time. Whilst I did not know Sir David personally, it is clear to me and everyone how passionate he was about what he did—about fuel poverty, animal welfare, representing his constituents and, indeed, Southend. Sir David was killed offering help to his constituents—the most important...
Jane Dodds: Diolch, First Minister. I'd like to thank you for your answer and to further state, certainly, my support and my party's support for the Welsh Government's plans for a universal basic income. Whilst I would prefer, of course, for the scope of the pilot to be widened beyond care leavers, as I've been calling on the Welsh Government to do, I'm still very keen to support the Government so that...
Jane Dodds: I'd like to thank the Minister firstly, for bringing forward this incredibly important debate. And I'm pleased to be a co-signatory of the motion welcoming the introduction of the race equality action plan so that we can create an anti-racist Wales. Whilst at times in the media it may seem that we are more divided than ever, it is heartening to hear so many contributions across the Chamber...
Jane Dodds: 8. What are the Welsh Government's plans in relation to the use of voter identification in Wales? OQ57067
Jane Dodds: 3. What work is the Commission undertaking to engage with 16 and 17-year-olds about the work of the Senedd, given their recent enfranchisement? OQ57068
Jane Dodds: Thank you so much, Counsel General, I'm very pleased to hear that because I, like you, am incredibly concerned at the Conservative Government's proposals in Westminster to pursue voter identification for reserved elections. Whilst I'm not going to rehearse the arguments for and against today, I remain totally opposed to these discriminatory measures. What I am concerned about, though, is that...
Jane Dodds: Diolch, Llywydd. The connection here is absolutely clear, because I wanted to ask about the Welsh Youth Parliament, which, as we know, was formed in 2018 and I'm sure we've all loved watching its development as a platform for young people to have their voices heard. And, yes, I would like to add to your encouragement to ensure that Members of the Senedd do try to encourage young people to...
Jane Dodds: Thank you, Minister. Thank you very much for all of the work that you've done. I'd like to pay tribute to you and the Welsh Government in your work and in publishing your second carbon budget in the weeks running up to the COP summit in Glasgow. I want to also say that I will both be an ally to you when you're pushing forward with this ambitious green agenda, but also holding you to account...
Jane Dodds: I want to ask the Minister about micro hydro projects. We have lost the funding to these in Wales and I wondered if you might consider restarting the hydropower grant scheme so that we can ensure that Wales meets its commitments to reach net zero. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. Following on from my esteemed colleagues in Mid and West Wales, I wanted to focus in on relating young people to green jobs. I think we're all concerned about the employment opportunities currently on offer to young people in Mid and West Wales. So, in Canada, for instance, the Government supports science and technology internships in the green industries to support...
Jane Dodds: Good evening, Minister. Firstly, I'd like to make clear my concerns at the high COVID rates here in Wales, and I totally agree that COVID has not gone away. We have all been willing to accept during the course of the pandemic what would in normal times be unpalatable, restrictive and illiberal measures, such as lockdown, mandatory face masks and so on, but these are measures that have been...
Jane Dodds: The health of our democracy is indicative of the health of our society more generally. The two are inseparable, and that's why I too am totally opposed to the Conservative Government's approach in Westminster to introducing voter ID for reserved elections. It is a shameful and underhand approach to undermine democracy. The Conservatives' gleeful disenfranchisement of a significant section of...
Jane Dodds: Thank you, Darren. I'm going to come on to your evidence—which I think is very selective—from the Electoral Commission, and I will continue on. When I'm door knocking, my aim is to engage people in the democratic process as much as possible. So, trying to persuade people to vote, who perhaps would not normally, when there is an additional requirement, is going to be so much harder. I...
Jane Dodds: Will the Welsh Government put the new 2021 World Health Organisation limits on air pollution into law?
