Mike Hedges: Whilst improved transport links are not part of Swansea bay city region proposal, which, quite correctly, is based upon improving economic prosperity, and thus the gross value added, there’s a need for improved bus, road and rail links within the city region. Some people are physically remote from employment, retail and leisure facilities, sometimes when they don’t actually live that far...
Mike Hedges: I speak in support of the second supplementary budget, but there are three points that I want to raise. First, on the health budget, according to the evidence received by the Finance Committee—and I’ll just quote from the report— ‘The Supplementary Budget includes £180 million fiscal, or cash, revenue, £4 million non-cash revenue and £3 million capital to the Health, Well-being and...
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on Welsh Government proposals regarding letting agent fees? OAQ(5)0113(CC)
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response? I, along with several colleagues, most notably Jenny Rathbone, have been opposing letting fees being charged to tenants for several years. Currently, action is being taken in England and has been taken in Scotland. Can the Cabinet Secretary give an indication of the timescale for action being taken?
Mike Hedges: Already done.
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Thank you. Of course, if this is passed today, not one penny will go through. The only way to get additional money for this is through the first supplementary budget, isn’t it?
Mike Hedges: I would like to ask for a Government statement on the current GP contract. I’ve been told by constituents recently that one surgery is refusing to change dressings and referring patients to the hospital. Another surgery will only provide repeat prescriptions via computer request, which is exceptionally difficult for some of my elderly constituents. The same surgery refuses patients an...
Mike Hedges: If there is one area of public policy that has improved over the last 20 years, it’s recycling. Thanks to the ambitious targets set by the Welsh Labour Government and action taken by local authorities of all political persuasions, and most importantly by householders, Wales is leading the way in recycling as well as on waste prevention and reuse. While recycling used to be done by the most...
Mike Hedges: As a councillor in Powys, what are you doing to stop the council doing that? [Laughter.]
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his mention of Morriston Hospital? I, like everyone living in the Swansea city region, are very pleased with the work that’s being done in Morriston Hospital, and the work it’s doing, attracting the hub-and-spoke model for health across the whole of south-west Wales. The question I’ve got though is: the project of greatest importance to Swansea city...
Mike Hedges: Do you know why? Have you considered that perhaps one of the reasons is that capital expenditure in Wales by local authorities is held separately, whereas in England, in academies, it’s held by the academies?
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Would you agree that austerity has never worked, from Hoover in the United States of America, through to Greece today, and all it does is make people poorer?
Mike Hedges: I very much support the Finance Committee's report and I think that the Finance Committee works very well together. We don't all hold the same political views—in fact, some of them are diametrically opposite—but I think that everybody's commitment there was to try and get the best report we possibly could to try and get the best legislation we can for the people of Wales. I think that's...
Mike Hedges: 6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Mudiad Meithrin’s Cylch Ti a Fi scheme? OAQ(5)0097(EDU)
Mike Hedges: 5. What discussions has the Counsel General held regarding the independence of the judicial system in Wales? OAQ(5)0030(CG)
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Minister. If we want to see a million Welsh speakers, then the journey for many starts with ‘cylch Ti a Fi’, then Mudiad Meithrin and then primary school and then, finally, secondary school. Then we will have children at 16 years of age who are fluent Welsh speakers. How does the Welsh Government support the ‘Ti a Fi’ movement?
Mike Hedges: I’m not only aware of it, but I’m going to quote from it now. Yesterday, in that statement, you said: It is equally important that our judicial institutions know that they command the confidence of the legislature’. How do you think this can be achieved?
Mike Hedges: 5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Welsh Government support for the ICT industry in Wales? OAQ(5)0145(EI)