Samuel Kurtz: I would like to start by paying tribute to my predecessor, Angela Burns, for her tireless work and dedication, not only in this place, but also for the people and constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. First Minister, spectators and participants have begun returning to sporting and cultural events as part of the trials that you mentioned as coronavirus regulations are eased....
Samuel Kurtz: Can I call on the economy Minister to make a statement on the financial support that the Welsh Government is making available to organisers of music festivals, agricultural shows and other outdoor events due to the impact that the 2m social distancing rule has on capacity? Many events are facing a second summer of disruption, and some have already made the difficult decision, once again, to...
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Firstly, I'd like to thank all speakers for participating in this afternoon's debate and bringing forward meaningful and insightful contributions. I'd also like to thank the Minister for her response and her positive discussions around the need for the committee to look at this, and I look forward to working with her on agricultural matters, and on rural...
Samuel Kurtz: 1. What support is the Welsh Government providing to local authorities to assist pupils who have lost face-to-face teaching time due to COVID-19 restrictions? OQ56597
Samuel Kurtz: Minister, on three separate occasions over the last 14 months, the town of Carmarthen has suffered major incidences of flooding as the River Tywi burst its banks, affecting a number of businesses along the quay and the Pensarn area. Looking at the programme for government, launched yesterday to big fanfare, the climate change section had little reference to improving flood defences. With...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, Minister. I've received correspondence from the parents of children with hearing difficulties in my constituency who have raised concerns that their children, because of the use of masks, can't lip read and they are facing ongoing barriers to their learning experience. In addition to losing educational time over the past 18 months because of efforts to slow the spread of the...
Samuel Kurtz: I'm grateful for the opportunity to take part in this Welsh Conservative debate today on a subject that has played, and continues to play, an important part in my life. Since a very early age, I've been an active participant in sport. Whilst always enthusiastic, I can't claim to have ever been that particularly good at any one sport. However, I am a great advocate of the physical and mental...
Samuel Kurtz: A number of governors from a vast variety of backgrounds is vital for the management of a school. Many pupils who attend educational facilities through the medium of Welsh come from homes where their parents don't speak Welsh themselves. What support is the Welsh Government providing to ensure that parents from non-Welsh-speaking homes are encouraged to stand for election as parent governors...
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch, Llywydd. Firstly, can I congratulate the Minister on her reappointment, and I look forward to working towards a fairer and prosperous rural Wales? Minister, at an event in Cardiff as part of Seafood Week in 2016, you announced your intention to double sea aquaculture production by 2020. As the 2019 marine plan and the subsequent 2020 report failed to reference this objective, and...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you. One issue that does continue to cause stress and anguish for farmers across Wales is bovine TB, an issue that successive Welsh Ministers have failed to really get to grips with. Last week, in responding to a question from my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders, the First Minister laid the blame for the spread of TB at the feet of Welsh farmers, saying, 'the reason why low area statuses...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, but that just goes to show that the false negatives that come from the current bovine TB skin test show that if movement is being undertaken under the Welsh Government policy that there is a failure of policy here. It was recently announced, however, that Carmarthenshire County Council spent the grand sum of £136,000 on their Hollywood-esque Carmarthen/Caerfyrddin sign on the side...
Samuel Kurtz: I would like to thank Janet Finch-Saunders for securing this important debate on sheep scab, and I always welcome activity in this place that highlights the difficulties that Welsh farmers face in feeding the nation. The recent Amazon Prime programme Clarkson's Farm also did an excellent job in highlighting the difficulties that farmers face, as it followed journalist and tv presenter,...
Samuel Kurtz: 1. What support is the Welsh Government providing to improve educational facilities in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56710
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, First Minister. I recently visited Cosheston VC School in my constituency, where I met with the headteacher and the chair of the governors. This is a happy school, with pupils eager to learn from enthusiastic and able teachers. However, concerns were raised with me over the lack of space available, which has been worsened due to COVID restrictions. Staff spend non-teaching time...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon. I'd like to take the opportunity to speak on what has been described by some operators as the 'forgotten sector', that being Wales's residential outdoor education centres. The industry is worth roughly £40 million to the economy, with more than 1,700 people employed. Pre-COVID, there were 44 centres in Wales, and figures in March showed...
Samuel Kurtz: 4. What action is the Welsh Government undertaking to improve the transport infrastructure in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire? OQ56740
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch, Trefnydd. I was pleased to hear you mention the A40 bypass at Llanddewi Velfrey, and I was pleased to have reassurance from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change that, despite the Government's announcement last month of the pause on road building, this project will go ahead. However, while the Deputy Minister has assured me of diggers on the ground, I and locals in Carmarthen West...
Samuel Kurtz: Thank you, Minister, for your statement. As someone representing a hugely attractive area of west Wales, where houses for first-time buyers are scarce, I welcome the fact that this is a three-pronged approach. While I don't agree with each one unconditionally, I'm pleased that it's not a single, sledgehammer policy, which could end up causing far more harm than good. We also can't...
Samuel Kurtz: What action is the Welsh Government taking to support high-street businesses in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire?
Samuel Kurtz: Diolch, Llywydd. In summing up this debate, I first of all want to thank all my colleagues for the important and interesting contributions that they've made, and commend my colleague from south-east Wales for leading this debate. I thank the Deputy Minister for his response. An effective, co-ordinated and integrated transport infrastructure is what the people of Wales not only deserve, but...
