Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Llywydd, and can I thank all of those who contributed to the debate? I think the responses were fairly consistent in the debate in terms of looking at some of the issues that are responsible for the spread of this type of exploitation. David Melding, quite rightly, acknowledged the vulnerability of people that allows this kind of exploitation to take place, and actually, the...
Dawn Bowden: 9. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on improving animal welfare in Wales? OAQ(5)0148(ERA)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that response. No doubt you’ll be aware that the Conservative election manifesto contains a commitment to hold another vote on the ban on hunting with dogs, or the fox hunting ban, as we probably best know it. Would you join me, Cabinet Secretary, in condemning any proposals that might open up the possibility of this barbaric and cruel practice returning to...
Dawn Bowden: I’ve referred, on a number of occasions, to the likely impact that you just alluded to now, Cabinet Secretary, of the Government’s cuts to local housing allowances for the under-35s, and the benefit cuts for those under 22 years old, which will have, obviously, exacerbating homelessness effects amongst young people. Merthyr Valleys Homes, Cabinet Secretary, are trying out an innovative...
Dawn Bowden: This weekend the Merthyr Rising festival will commemorate the events of May 1831 when iron workers, miners and their families rose up against the deplorable living and working conditions they had to endure. During the protest the rebels bathed their flag in calf’s blood—believed to be the first time the red flag was used as a symbol of revolution. There are still buildings and sights in...
Dawn Bowden: First Minister, a couple of months ago the Naylor report was published, and the report highlights the dire state of the NHS estates capability in England. Theresa May has indicated that she will action the report’s recommendations, which includes selling off many parts of the NHS estate in England as part of a process including a two-for-one, buy-one-get-one-free deal, if you like, to tempt...
Dawn Bowden: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on promoting diversity in Wales’s democratic institutions? OAQ(5)0142(FLG)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your response. As it is now 2017 and not 1917, I, along with many others, I’m sure, was dismayed to see the Vale of Glamorgan Council announce a new cabinet that consisted of seven white men following the local council elections. I welcome the Welsh Government’s initiatives to encourage diversity and applaud councils like Caerphilly, which, whilst not...
Dawn Bowden: Can I start by thanking the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this motion, as, undoubtedly, affordable housing generally, and tackling homelessness in particular, are amongst the biggest issues I think that are facing our country today? Whilst the motion is primarily around house building, I’d like to widen my contribution to focus on the causes of homelessness and possible ways of...
Dawn Bowden: Can I also thank Julie Morgan, in particular, for bringing forward this debate, as I know how much work, Julie, you’ve done on this issue and I fully endorse the sentiments and proposals set out in the motion? I think we can all be proud of the record here in Wales of the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C, and, of course, welcome a continued commitment to achieve the eradication of the...
Dawn Bowden: And a further positive development, First Minister, of devolution is the right to determine the conduct of our own elections here in Wales. And during the general elections a couple of weeks ago, we witnessed a significant increase in the number of young people both registering to vote and an apparently unprecedented high turn-out amongst that group. And if pundits are to be believed, this...
Dawn Bowden: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's strategy for nurse recruitment in Wales?
Dawn Bowden: I nominate Mike Hedges.
Dawn Bowden: Do you not accept, however, that that is more to do with exploitative employers than it is to do with people coming in here? Because unskilled workers in this country are being exploited by employers that could pay higher wages and they choose not to.
Dawn Bowden: Will the First Minister provide an update on the Cardiff capital region city deal?
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Chwarae Teg Womenspire awards, where the work of women across Wales was celebrated and recognised, with awards in categories ranging from community activism to business, industry, and the arts. And I was delighted that Sarah Draper, the fitness managing director at Inspire Fitness in Merthyr, won the game changer of the year...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, we spoke this morning about the issues that I raised with you, but can I just say I was very pleased, when I visited the only high-rise tower in my constituency, which is in Merthyr Tydfil, that the cladding on that building is not of the ACM type, but is of the Rockwell type, which means that it is fire retardant and it’s covered by a...
Dawn Bowden: 5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the payment of the foundation living wage by local authorities in Wales? OAQ(5)0155(FLG)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll probably be aware that Cardiff University Business School recently carried out a survey of those employers across the UK who’ve chosen to become accredited living wage employers, i.e. paying the foundation living wage, which is of course £8.45—almost £1 more than the UK’s national minimal wage—and ensuring that the contractors that they use...
Dawn Bowden: So, here we go again: same old Tories, fighting yesterday’s battles, with yesterday’s arguments, on yesterday’s issues, oblivious to the fact that the world has moved on from the anti-union rhetoric of the 1970s and the 1980s. It’s ironic, is it not, that on the day that Theresa May makes a desperate plea to other parties to help her out of the almighty mess that she’s made of...
