Janet Finch-Saunders: 6. What structures does the Welsh Government have in place to monitor the use of grant funding awarded to projects in Wales? OQ58252
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Well, in contrast to my colleague there about how good the UK Government are when handing money out, the Welsh Government, certainly in my time—I’ve been here 11 years—and prior to that since devolution, have wasted millions and millions of pounds: £221 million on uncompetitive enterprise zones; £9.3 million on flawed initial funding—[Interruption.] I know it hurts, but...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 2. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the Scottish Government about the implications for Wales of the decision to seek a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of holding a new referendum on Scottish independence? OQ58323
Janet Finch-Saunders: What legal advice has the Counsel General given to the Welsh Government on steps it could take to tackle rural crime?
Janet Finch-Saunders: What action is the Welsh Government taking to protect the rights of older people?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Good. [Laughter.] Our union of four nations is currently undergoing a monumental task in safeguarding our children's future from invading Russian forces in Ukraine. The gravity of the war has been felt in every single home here in Wales and will continue to do so until Putin is removed from office. The results of the war have perpetuated a cost-of-living crisis and a food security dilemma....
Janet Finch-Saunders: On a much lighter note of optimism, I would like to agree with the core aims of Cwmni Egino, to help exploit the economic benefits of small modular reactors and associated technologies at Trawsfynydd. Now, you may be aware, First Minister, that I have been sceptical about the progress on this. It was announced on 30 September 2020, and yet, practical milestone targets were not immediately...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I'll refer Members to my own declaration of interest form in terms of property ownership. Thank you. I will start by referring to the housing association tenancies fundamental provisions. Now, whilst I note there were no matters of special interest to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, I am pretty disappointed that there has been not too much consultation with our...
Janet Finch-Saunders: We've had £8.4 billion during the pandemic.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Despite all the moans and groans here about how short of money you are from the UK Government, costing £20 million last month, it was announced that around 500 care leavers in Wales would now receive a fixed sum of money: £1,600 every month for two years, in what the Welsh Government is referring to as a radical experiment. Not even are we a month in to these demands and they are now...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thanks for that contribution, but we'll have to beg to differ. As far as I'm concerned, you have failed the people of Wales as regards the clean air Act. We've got record high poverty levels amongst infants and children and low levels of investment in our towns and cities. A brain-drain era has swept across the nation, leaving our industries, civil service and hospitals short of staff and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Well, we've had devolution for 24 years, with Labour, and Plaid Cymru propping them up. That's where it went wrong.
Janet Finch-Saunders: I have not. Never. I won't see an independent—
Janet Finch-Saunders: Our academics—[Interruption.] Our academics exported the ideas of liberalism and conservative ideology, fighting for land property rights, religious self-determination and cultural and heritage acknowledgment, and the right to speak the nation's mother tongue. We did not achieve this through entitlement, nor through the notion that we are owed something as a people. We have persevered...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Seeing as it's you, yes.
Janet Finch-Saunders: At the end of the day, we should be looking to give people an equal opportunity, helping them to find work, bringing out the potential of everybody, not actually saying, 'Do you know what, we'll be a nanny state and we'll just hand it out to you anyway.' Where's the incentive for anybody then to think they can be creative? It's gone. But again, where were they when they were given mandate...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Wales has shown itself to be a world leader on much in the past. What is needed now is for this Welsh Government to reflect on the merit of its own people in how far they have carried Wales, but also how much further we can go. Today's politics should be about guaranteeing jobs for your children and for your grandchildren. This is about combating the inequalities that exist within...
Janet Finch-Saunders: —for finance in future generations. Vote against this today, change the Welsh Government tomorrow, and we will all certainly have a much better and brighter future.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you, Deputy Minister, for your response. I’ll get to what I’m going to say in a minute, but I think your words were very appropriate when you said what a fantastic and upbeat debate this is to have just before we all go away on our summer recess. So, yes, summer’s here, and so are some of the fantastic and biggest outdoor events in Wales. From the Royal...
Janet Finch-Saunders: We’ll see you there. [Laughter.] Now, like big events such as the Royal Welsh, funding options are equally as important to smaller rural organised events. Now, this is why in March last year, because of the pandemic and because of the problems that smaller shows faced, stopping and having to start again after the pandemic, I did call for the establishment of a rural shows development fund,...
