Jayne Bryant: I’d like to thank Jeremy Miles for bringing this important debate forward today. Our coastline around Wales is one of the most valuable natural assets we have. My constituency of Newport West is a constituency where the river is prominent, running through the city and into the Severn estuary. The tidal reach of the River Usk has been crucial to Newport’s development from a settlement in...
Jayne Bryant: First Minister, understandably, the staff who are at risk of redundancy in the Maesglas office at Newsquest are very worried. Along with the trade union, I’ve spoken to staff, who estimate there will be 10 fewer full-time equivalent roles at the end of the process, and that full-time, highly skilled jobs will be replaced by more administrative roles that will be part time. Newsquest say...
Jayne Bryant: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on economic development in Newport West?
Jayne Bryant: I would like to thank Dawn Bowden for giving me a minute of her time in this debate. Credit unions can play an active role in the financial education of young people. Newport Credit Union, with nearly 1,000 union savers, runs school savers clubs in four primary schools. With the help of teachers, parents and school governors it teaches children the value and importance of saving money. This...
Jayne Bryant: 3. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the impact of Universal Credit in Wales? OAQ(5)0133(CC)
Jayne Bryant: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Universal credit has huge implications for families across Wales, pushing more children into poverty and hitting 18 to 21-year-olds hard. Recently, I hosted an event to launch the innovative research by Cardiff Metropolitan University in partnership with Community Housing Cymru and the Oak Foundation on the implications of the universal credit. The research was...
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, Llywydd. This Friday marks International Nurses Day, an annual celebration of the tireless work and dedication of nurses across the world. This year the theme is ‘nursing heroes’. While we can all name nurses past and present who are heroes, I’ll be joining nurses from Aneurin Bevan health board to talk about a truly amazing woman: Annie Brewer. Annie was born in 1874 in...
Jayne Bryant: What progress has the Welsh Government made in improving political engagement with young people?
Jayne Bryant: I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate today. As the chair of the cross-party group for preventing child sexual abuse, we have worked closely with the NSPCC, Stop It Now! Cymru and the Survivors Trust. These organisations are dedicated to putting an end to the online abuse and exploitation of children through a preventative and early intervention approach. Child...
Jayne Bryant: 11. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government’s plan for regeneration in Newport? OAQ(5)0153(CC)
Jayne Bryant: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Two weeks ago, I joined Newport City Homes, Gwent Police officers, local residents and councillors on a walk around the recently started £7.9 million redevelopment in Pill. The improvements are long overdue and this project will help tackle anti-social behaviour and make a real difference to those living there. These ambitious plans are as a result of work with...
Jayne Bryant: Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this debate. As someone who lives in Newport, I know first-hand how important this issue has been over many, many years. The excessive Severn tolls have been charged to people making essential journeys, and are a tax on Welsh businesses and commuters. For years, the Tories have ignored the pleas of businesses and commuters on both sides of the bridges...
Jayne Bryant: The first are the repercussions for traffic management in the local area.
Jayne Bryant: A Welsh Government report found that if the tolls were scrapped, there would be an estimated 12 per cent increase, equivalent to about 11,000 vehicles a day, in traffic volumes. This impact would have a major effect on congestion in Newport, especially in the Brynglas tunnels. Already, an estimated 80,000 vehicles use the crossing every day, and any increase in this makes a solution to the...
Jayne Bryant: [Continues.]—particularly John Griffiths, Paul Flynn, Jessica Morden and Rosemary Butler. Go on. I’ll take an intervention; I’ve got time.
Jayne Bryant: I don’t think that that’s something you were saying only a few months ago. In fact, I even read a quote from you a few months ago where you’d reduced the prices quite—. An arbitrary figure, I think, came out of thin air. Another u-turn; I’m not quite sure that the public will believe that. Anyway, while—[Interruption.] They’re not alone. I think it’s only fair and right to...
Jayne Bryant: 6. How does the Welsh Government plan to raise awareness about dementia in Wales? OAQ(5)0633(FM)
Jayne Bryant: Diolch, First Minister. There are an estimated 45,000 people in Wales living with dementia. If the current trend continues, the number of people living with the disease will increase by over 40 per cent over the next 12 years. Raising awareness and understanding the disease is crucial. I was proud to present South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s Newport stations with their Dementia Friends...
Jayne Bryant: 8. What progress is being made to encourage more young people to read? OAQ(5)0138(FM)
Jayne Bryant: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. The big challenge for teachers is not simply getting students to read, it's getting them to enjoy it, too. English literature can ignite lifelong passion for reading. With changes to the way literacy development is measured at key stage 4, it's vital that we ensure that pupils continue to take up English literature at GCSE level. As one of my constituents, Rajvi...
