Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It’s a pleasure to have an opportunity to open and lead this debate, which calls on the National Assembly for Wales to establish a youth parliament for Wales. I want to say thank you to all parties in the Chamber for the support that has been shown for this motion. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae gan y Cynulliad hwn draddodiad balch o gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc....
Darren Millar: Of course I will.
Darren Millar: You’re absolutely right, and there are some good examples across Wales of youth councils in operation, but, unfortunately, it’s not consistently applied across the country, in spite of the work of Young Wales and other organisations like them. So, we’ve got this excellent track record. We were leading the way in terms of youth engagement very early on in the life of the Assembly. We...
Darren Millar: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on access to NHS treatment in north Wales? OAQ(5)0256(FM)
Darren Millar: First Minister, like me, I’m sure you were very disappointed and horrified to read of the ombudsman’s case last week in terms of Mr Eifion Wyn Jones, who waited 132 days for prostate cancer treatment. This week, there’s been another case reported in the ‘Daily Post’ of a gentleman from Prestatyn, Mr Ian Taylor, who waited over three months for his treatment. I’m currently working...
Darren Millar: Can I call for two statements, please—one from the Minister responsible for lifelong learning and the Welsh language, on support for people with learning disabilities who are accessing further education? He’ll be aware of the concerns that were raised this week in the media regarding the system of support that is available to learners in post-16 further education with learning...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I know of your commitment to rural schools. I know you used to fight passionately when you were an opposition member on behalf of schools in Powys that were threatened with closure by that particular local authority, and, of course, you were matched by many other Assembly Members representing rural constituencies in this Chamber. Like your...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Minister, for bringing this debate forward today in Government time. I think it’s always very useful for us as a National Assembly to reflect on the annual report of the children’s commissioner, and the excellent work that she and her team do across the whole of Wales. I want to put on record my thanks to her for making regular visits to north Wales, including to places in my...
Darren Millar: Will you take an intervention?
Darren Millar: 8. What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote positive parenting? OAQ(5)0058(CC)
Darren Millar: 10. Will the Minister provide an update on how the Welsh Government is ensuring that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is being realised? OAQ(5)0057(CC)
Darren Millar: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll know that I’m a huge advocate of positive parenting, particularly given what I think are premature plans from your Government to ban smacking and criminalise parents. However, I note that you as Cabinet Secretary agree that positive parenting is something that ought to be available to all parents who need it. Unfortunately, though, in...
Darren Millar: Cabinet Secretary, you know as well as I do that there’s a duty on local authorities and local education authorities to ensure that the UNCRC is promoted in our schools. Unfortunately, this is not subject to inspection at the moment by Estyn. I feel that it ought to be in order to make sure that young people are able to understand what their rights are and how they can ensure that they can...
Darren Millar: First Minister, one of the features of your Government is that very good schools, which are delivering the national curriculum, have been closing across the country, particularly in rural parts of Wales. Now, I note that there is additional assistance, which is on the way, and some changes in terms of the way that local authorities will have to think about their schools in the future. But...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I think it's impressive that you've managed to turn around a Welsh Government response to such a hefty report as the Diamond review report in such a short period of time. I do welcome, as well, the consultation that will now flow from your response; I think it's entirely appropriate that there’s a wider opportunity for public discussion on...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I’m very pleased to be able to respond on behalf of our group, and extend our continuing support for the Wales for Africa programme and the excellent work that it is doing in making connections between the people of Wales and the people of sub-Saharan Africa. The Cabinet Secretary will know I visited South Africa a couple of years ago—in...
Darren Millar: 3. Will the Minister make a statement on flood risk management in north Wales? OAQ(5)0054(ERA)
Darren Millar: Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. Can I thank you also for the work that the Welsh Government has done in helping to protect homes in my own constituency from flooding? But there is a great concern, which I’ve raised in this Chamber on many occasions, about the Old Colwyn east promenade and the vulnerability of that part of the coast to flooding, particularly given its...
Darren Millar: Will you take an intervention?
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I share your concern about the tone of this debate, Cabinet Secretary. I chaired a Public Accounts Committee inquiry on this very subject, with some very sensible recommendations that could be taken forward on a cross-party basis to address what is a very real issue of concern to members of the public. I think that it is important that we move forward together on...
