Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much, David, for your generous and positive remarks. I visited Neath and it was a revelation to me to see the way in which the restoration of the abbey has been achieved. I actually stood there and stared at the pointing that had been achieved by those employed by Cadw on the work on that site. But there's also, as my colleague on my left here would remind me, the ironworks....
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: So, I think I will keep my powder dry on chapels until I've had that discussion in Morriston, but I am keen to see what we can do with the chapel heritage. A lot of them have already been converted and have become fine private houses. Some of them have become garages, some of them are very good garages. All these uses that we have for our religious buildings, I think, are important to...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much to Dai for those comments. May I start by saying that I make no apology for putting a picture of Capel Tegid in Bala, where my dear late mother was a deacon for many years, on that particular page? Because the nonconformist heritage and our chapel heritage is crucially important, as Dai mentioned. That's why I don't want to talk too much about that today, because my...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much for that, and it’s been a pleasure to work with you. And, of course, you’re quite right in claiming the credit for getting us into action on the review of the local residents pass across Wales. That took place in the summer of 2017 and, as a result of that, there’s a new inclusive membership offer, which has replaced the previous pass, giving access to one named site...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you. It was great to be in Newport. I've spent probably more time in Newport than anywhere else, apart from my own patch, in the last few months. But thank you for driving the gondola so much better than the poor Minister. This was remarked upon—I won't mention the name, but, well, you know who it is that drives the bridge. That bridge is driven; it's not just an automatic thing, it's...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much for that question, Vikki, and, since my colleague the Cabinet Secretary has said how pleased he is to answer his question, I'm very pleased to answer this one. Government recognises the importance of sports clubs at the community level and the role they play in developing sport across Wales, and the bridge they provide from participation in sport through to the development...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much for that comprehensive supplementary question. I'm not going to take on any regional newspaper, but I would suggest to the club that the way to resolve this situation is to ask for a meeting with the sports journalists of that particular newspaper and, indeed, with the editor, if necessary. But perhaps this is something that could be dealt with very effectively as well...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much for that, and I'm pleased to say—you must know my diary in detail—that I met with Beicio Cymru, with Welsh Cycling, yesterday. And we have been looking specifically at mid Wales because I'm particularly keen that there is a development to enable cycling both at the eastern end and at the western end in the Aberystwyth area, and I can assure you that discussions are...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Through the Arts Council of Wales, this Government supports a wide range of theatre activity across Wales in both languages, including Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru yn Gymraeg, National Theatre Wales, and, of course, those very important production centres, building-based at the Torch in Milford Haven, Sherman here in Cardiff and at Theatr Clwyd.
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: I am pleased to give the assurance that this building will be maintained as a live theatre, and will be refurbished over a period of time. In fact, it makes its place, and gains its place already, as an example of late modernism in John B. Hilling's latest edition on the architecture of Wales, which has just been published. I have visited Theatr Clwyd myself and have had long discussions...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: May I in the first instance thank Bethan Sayed for introducing such a philosophical topic, which gives me an opportunity to continue with the seminar, possibly? Because, clearly, as a Government, our powers in relation to the media are limited by the legislation surrounding devolution. I don't want to rehearse the issues over the devolution of broadcasting, but in my view the reason for not...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Yes, well, one could argue that much of the mass media has been doing that over many years. I don’t think that one can rely on analysing the motives of an individual, but one can analyse the motives of an institution and an organisation and the need to respond to that motive by creating a critical community. So, we need to raise awareness that every message conveyed on any medium is a...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: 'Don't you talk to me about news, boy. News is what comes down from London on the wire.'
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Now then, we have to have a clearer understanding than that of the nature of generating news and analysing news; we must share the ability to be creative and critical among our young people; and then consider the question of whether we need to strengthen regulation. But, the priority that I will seek to take forward, following a previous discussion on the budget two years ago, is that we...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. 'Dichonoldeb' isn’t an easy word to pronounce in Welsh, nor is ‘feasibility’ in English, but it’s my pleasure to open this debate and to celebrate the fact that we are a nation that is awash with history and culture, where our history and heritage are important elements of our national character. And, as a result of that, the way in which...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: These reports, as I say, are the high point of a series of discussions by a number of individuals and organisations, and the main governing bodies have contributed, bearing in mind that we have over 60 governing bodies on all of the various sports in Wales, and the evidence reflects the views expressed there. There is a recommendation to invest in Wrexham in order to allow the development of...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you very much, Llywydd. I make no apology for saying that this won’t be a conventional response that will answer every point that’s been made, because this discussion today is the beginning of the process for me too. But I do want to note a few things: David Melding referred to the drive for consensus; there was a lot in what Llyr said, particularly in terms of the relationship with...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Developing tourism is a key component of the Valleys taskforce work. The Welsh Government is fully committed to this objective, and, for example, has invested in Rock UK, which will be a major boost to the economy in the Valleys.
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: I'm very grateful for that question, and I do apologise that I was not here earlier. We are working with Sport Wales as our main agency to ensure that priority is given, both for areas of deprivation and also for age groups where there is a lack of engagement with physical activity. The issue of lack of engagement in physical activity applies throughout the age cycle, regrettably. Some 32 per...
Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas: Thank you for that further question. This relates, of course, to the Government's more general approach towards issues of obesity and of healthy living. And we are looking to trying to establish within the school experience of young people an understanding that participation in physical activity and in the choice of sports activities in school is the foundation stone for a healthy lifestyle....
