Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring forward this short debate on the important role played by credit unions in helping tackling financial exclusion, a major issue in parts of my constituency and in areas of deprivation across Wales. I’m happy to give a minute of my time to both Jayne Bryant and Mark Isherwood in this debate. Llywydd, the fundamental difference, of...
Dawn Bowden: Credit unions make their decisions on lending money not on largely automated and impersonal procedures but more often than not on the basis of one-to-one interviews with members. Part of any assessment on a loan will be based on the experience of that person’s membership with the credit union. As a result, low-cost loans will be provided to many applicants who might well be excluded from...
Dawn Bowden: Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for public transport in Wales?
Dawn Bowden: Can I say at the outset that I want to thank the Conservatives for bringing this motion, which I think is a very wide-ranging motion, covering lots of very important issues? I’m not today going to comment on Plaid’s amendment on proportional representation, because this is currently the subject of consultation through the local government White Paper, and I guess we really ought to allow...
Dawn Bowden: First Minister, as a result of the implementation of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, we witnessed in recent years significant progress in the improved integration of health and social care, despite some of the comments being made today. In particular, I mention the multi-agency safeguarding hub in the Cwm Taf area, and the Keir Hardie health centre. Do you agree with...
Dawn Bowden: Can I say, as a huge football fan, Cabinet Secretary, like Rhun I’m also hugely excited at the prospect of the Champions League coming to Cardiff, and I applaud the work of the Welsh Government in helping to secure this? On Saturday, I’m going to be going back to Penydarren Park where Merthyr Town Football Club are going to be displaying the Champions League cup there. I think that’s a...
Dawn Bowden: 1. Will the Assembly Commission provide a fixed date for the switch over from Senedd.tv to YouTube? OAQ(5)0005(AC)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you very much, Llywydd. At the time of tabling my question, this hadn’t been done, so I’m hoping that, in some small way, my question being tabled may well have prompted the decision or brought about the change. But, however it came about, I am delighted this change has now been made, and I very much welcome the development. There is no doubt that Senedd.tv has played an important...
Dawn Bowden: Can I say at the outset that I welcome this debate at a very timely period in the electoral cycle, given that we’ve got local government elections tomorrow? I wanted to acknowledge the vital role that local authorities actually play against, as others have already acknowledged, a backdrop of huge cuts from the Westminster Government, and the breathtaking hypocrisy of Tories standing up here...
Dawn Bowden: Will you take an intervention?
Dawn Bowden: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans to tackle homelessness?
Dawn Bowden: Would you take an intervention?
Dawn Bowden: Would you agree with me, Hannah Blythyn, about the research by the University of Warwick and the comment made by Professor Kim Hoque who undertook that research, who said: ‘Overall, the evidence suggests that both full and part-time workplace union representatives help improve performance in the public sector and that managers widely recognise this to be the case.’
Dawn Bowden: What assessment has the Counsel General made of the impact that employment tribunal fees will have on access to justice in Wales? OAQ(5)0037(CG)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Counsel General, and I’m sure you’re aware that recent figures indicate that there has been an 81 per cent decrease in the number of employment tribunal claims lodged since the UK Government introduced fees in 2013. Unison is currently challenging these fees in the Supreme Court. Do you agree with me, Counsel General, that such fees, ranging from £160 to £950, with...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to bring forward this debate today, as in recent months I’ve been able to meet with representatives of Electrical Safety First and talk to them about the statistics that they have provided, particularly in relation to fires caused due to the lack of care with electrical appliances and devices. And I’m also pleased to give Mike...
Dawn Bowden: I’m sure that your households, like mine and many others these days, contain a plethora of mobile communication devices. In your homes, you will all have Assembly phones and Assembly iPads, and no doubt many of you will also have personal mobile phones and tablets of some sort. And, as most families no longer rely on one fixed landline phone in the house, it’s quite likely that each...
Dawn Bowden: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the next stage of dualling of the A465 from Dowlais Top to Hirwaun?
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. Right. ‘Free room to spare for a woman willing to carry out household chores naked.’ ‘Free accommodation, willing to offer more intimate favours.’ Extracts from a sleazy magazine or novel? No. These are part of actual adverts placed by landlords on Craigslist or Gumtree, offering accommodation rent-free in return for sexual favours. And are these isolated incidents?...
Dawn Bowden: That is certainly the information that we have found, and even some of the advertisements that we’ve seen in Cardiff are actually offering rent for as little as a £1 for each month for accommodation, but to go along with sexual favours. So, why are we suddenly witnessing a spread of what can only be described as a vile and exploitative practice here? I think there can be little doubt that...
