David Melding: Thank you for calling me to speak in this really important debate. We've been debating this since the first Assembly, and a few of us, I think, took part in the several debates, I think, we had in the first Assembly, and I remain consistent in my position that a ban is appropriate. We've got to be careful about how it's implemented. I fear that, unlike in the first Assembly, I won't have two...
David Melding: Will the Minister make a statement on the development of the Welsh Government's international strategy?
David Melding: What steps have been taken to ensure adequate resources are provided for the Welsh Government’s counter-fraud team?
David Melding: If these properties are not paying a business rate, they should be paying council tax. That seems to be at the heart of this, and we need to sort something out.
David Melding: Minister, it's now six years since the Government rolled out its tourism strategy for Wales, the partnership for growth, and the strategy remit will end next year. The main ambition was to increase tourism earnings by then by at least 10 per cent. I notice that Scotland, who have a strategy running for exactly the same time, are now doing a lot of review work and consultation, and I just...
David Melding: Well, I thank the Minister for his mostly helpful response, particularly that we all should take part in the work to review the strategy and to construct a new one, and particularly for the sector. You didn't say whether that 10 per cent target is going to be met. Obviously, there's still a year to go, but I think it's key that we're at least candid on whether we've achieved that, and if we...
David Melding: Can I say I share his love for Offa's Dyke? I have completed the walk, though that was, I'm afraid, over 40 years ago now. This year, I walked in Gower, which was as beautiful. Minister, one way in which we can certainly harness international tourist appeal is to make Wales the sustainable capital of tourism in the UK and indeed in Europe. For example, more and more environmentally savvy...
David Melding: Boris Johnson from The Telegraph. [Laughter.]
David Melding: I'm pleased to contribute to this debate. In recent years, for very proper reasons, climate change has come to dominate our political agenda. But, for many people, I think because they don't see an immediate impact in what they're doing, they're dissuaded from making some of the choices that would really benefit us long term. But, when we come to air quality, it is an area that has an...
David Melding: We're clearly at a watershed moment and we have an 11-0 judgment—perhaps 'exorbitant' is a fair way of describing that. But, clearly, what has happened is that prerogative powers are not now considered to be beyond the rule of law and they are subject to judicial review. Given that prerogative powers are so vast, potentially, and are not amenable, or at least previously, to any other...
David Melding: From the start of this programme, three years ago, I have been keen to commend it; I think it's a good approach. I do think that we are moving to the time where we need some assessment of those projects that have been supported to date, particularly to see where the innovations have been normalised, or brought to market, or produced at scale. Because, as the Minister said, that is really the...
David Melding: I'd like to start by welcoming this statement, in a very odd way, actually, because I note that all the recommendations have been accepted in principle and, usually, this really makes me quite annoyed, because I think you should say 'yes' or 'no' if at all possible. But I do think, given the long-term perspective that we need to take, and the thoroughness we need to approach such a...
David Melding: Llywydd, I remind the Chamber that I'm on the governing body of two special schools. We are in that in-between zone. I do welcome the shift away from statements, particularly for the flexibility we require. Children have a variety of issues, sometimes, and some of them may not get quite to the statement threshold. Where do they go? They still need real interventions. But I noticed the...
David Melding: I'm genuinely pleased on those occasions when even opposition Members should commend an action of the Welsh Government, and I do think this is a good scheme. I notice in the August edition of 'Clinical Pharmacist' the scheme is evaluated and praised and it does bring genuine innovation and relief. For many years, we've been trying to get people with minor ailments to seek the advice of a...
David Melding: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Barry over the past 12 months? OAQ54496
David Melding: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. There are around 30 cases of legionnaire's disease in Wales each year, on average, but in the last 12 months there have been 11 in Barry. You're quite right that Public Health Wales has not yet been able to find a cause and does not consider it, yet, an official legionnaire's disease outbreak, but it's surely of great concern to residents. And they...
David Melding: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It's quite simple what we need to know: when do you expect maternity services in Cwm Taf to be safe—not good, not excellent, not sector leading—when will they be safe? This report says there's a very long way to go. And, frankly, I find your approach remarkably passive. You've sat on your hands, you did nothing about the chief executive—you waited...
David Melding: I welcome this statement. It's World Homelessness Day on Thursday, and I also agree broadly with the approach, the references to Housing First, vanquishing rough-sleeping from society, ending all forms of homelessness and shifting away from emergency accommodation and a stepped or earned approach, and moving towards trauma-based practice. I really think that is a direction of travel that...
David Melding: 5. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve fire safety standards on residential complexes in South Wales Central? OAQ54490
David Melding: Minister, I think the people that use or live near the A470 between Upper Boat and Pontypridd will want to know when we're going to move from monitoring, which I welcome, to actual enforcement of the EU directive on nitrogen dioxide. When will we have that assurance that we're achieving this really important reduction in air pollution?
