Gareth Bennett: Okay. Thank you, First Minister, for that. I was in the short debate we had just before recess where this was discussed, and I was glad to hear that the standards commissioner is indeed looking at this. Could I just have a guarantee from you, First Minister, that if Gerard Elias decides that action is needed, you will take that action and not kick it into the long grass?
Gareth Bennett: I note that Labour is still trying to flog this dead horse, and Plaid Cymru are now abetting them. The Bloody Sunday inquiry cost nearly £200 million of public money—most of it handed over to lawyers. Orgreave was 32 years ago; nobody died. Why are Labour and Plaid Cymru so intent on handing over more taxpayers’ money to lawyers?
Gareth Bennett: I just wanted to ask the leader of the house why we get embargoed statements, as are a matter of routine, which are not delivered until just before the start of Plenary sessions. I wondered what the reason was behind that. Thanks.
Gareth Bennett: 2. What discussions has the First Minister had about welcoming the President-elect of the United States of America to Wales? OAQ(5)0266(FM)
Gareth Bennett: I thank you for your concise answer, First Minister. Now, I understand that arrangements about the new President—the President-elect—visiting Wales are in the future, but, in terms of trade, I wonder whether you would acknowledge that we now have a future President who is in favour of, and he’s vocally enthused about, striking a trade deal with the UK, and this may lead to a better...
Gareth Bennett: I apologise, Llywydd.
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Llywydd, for telling them off. First Minister, are you enthusiastic, as I am, about the future prospects for a post-Brexit Wales with President Trump?
Gareth Bennett: I would like to thank the Conservatives for bringing forward the motion today. I’m pleased to say that UKIP supports the motion as it has been put forward by the Conservatives. The problems that older people face in our society can be complex, but one of the most commonly occurring issues, as several speakers have already made reference to, is that of loneliness. We know this from the calls...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Severn bridge tolls are not only a tax on established Welsh businesses, but are also a direct disincentive for companies considering setting up in or relocating to Wales. Take, for instance, a company wishing to establish a distribution outlet here. Most companies would have a very high proportion of their clients based in the south-east of England. Tolls...
Gareth Bennett: What steps are the Welsh Government taking to improve the reliability of rail services in the south Wales valleys?
Gareth Bennett: Thanks, Minister, for your statement. I don’t want to comment too much on the nature of the landlord registration scheme because that was contained in legislation debated and passed by the last Assembly. However, there is one point that slightly puzzles me, which is regarding the £144 registration charge, which is a flat fee. There are many reluctant landlords who find themselves renting...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Could you put your hat as local government Minister on for a second? Hopefully, that’s not my first question. [Laughter.] Cardiff council has managed to raise £4.5 million in the past two years in bus lane fines. Do you think this may be an excessive amount, which could indicate that motorists in the city are being targeted by the council as cash cows?...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thank you, Minister. As a non-driver, I do appreciate your regard for public transport, which I share. In an ideal world, your answer would be correct, but, unfortunately, given Cardiff’s traffic problems, sometimes drivers do inadvertently find themselves in bus lanes. To continue with the theme, Cardiff probably does have the worst traffic problems in Wales, and the council has also...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you for that, Minister. I’ll move on to something else, as you dealt with that one so capably. It’s to do with the Localism Act 2011, which they have in England and which we haven’t adopted in Wales yet. The Campaign for Real Ale have pushed for this as a means of protecting the local pub, which I think is an admirable campaign. Whether or not the Localism Act is the best way of...
Gareth Bennett: Low pay is a serious problem for public sector workers at the bottom end of the scale in Wales. Local councils no longer have direct labour organisations, agency workers are often used, and this tends to have a depressing effect on wages. So, we do have to have a look at this, and one way in which low pay might be partially addressed is by trying to put a brake on excessively high pay. So, if...
Gareth Bennett: Okay, well done, Rhodri Glyn. But it may not be enough, Leanne. Independent remuneration boards always sound like a good idea, but somebody has to appoint the independent board members in the first place. Sometimes these tend to be one set of public officials recommending a hefty pay rise for another set of public officials. So, the appointment of these board members needs to be carefully...
Gareth Bennett: 6. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with rail authorities about delays to services caused by compacted leaves on the line? OAQ(5)0305(FM)
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that, First Minister. Yes, I’m aware it’s a problem that is essentially dealt with by Network Rail. Are there regular channels of communication between the Welsh Government and Network Rail?
Gareth Bennett: Of course, it is concerning that the board has been suspended, which does indicate a certain amount of lack of co-ordination, but of course it’s good that the normal activities of Sport Wales will continue in the meantime, and hopefully with minimal disruption. I’m sure the staff at the organisation will be able to run the show for the next few weeks without the contribution of the board....
Gareth Bennett: I think the issue of political education in schools may be quite pertinent now that we have the local government Minister’s proposals for extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds possibly at some future date. So, I wondered how we ensure that political education is taught in a balanced way to represent different political viewpoints.
