Hefin David: Yes, of course.
Hefin David: There's no point getting angry about it. I heard what he said, and I think some of what he said should be directed towards the UK Government, actually. I think that some of the things that Nick Ramsay said reflected that, too. We can only do what we can do, and what we want to do, if we have the resources given to us by the UK Government. I'd say to Mark Isherwood: come and take a walk around...
Hefin David: Well, that's not a responsible representation of what I said, and what I said is: we are operating within a UK Government budget context in which it has cut back mercilessly, and those merciless cuts have fed back to the Welsh Government. I think that Nick Ramsay knows very well that's exactly what I just said. I will be supporting this budget this afternoon, because I have every confidence...
Hefin David: Will you take an intervention?
Hefin David: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Cardiff capital region city deal?
Hefin David: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the delivery plan for 'Our Valleys, Our Future'? OAQ51491
Hefin David: With that in mind, I particularly welcome the aspect that supports local small and medium-sized enterprises to bid for public sector procurement contracts. Caerphilly County Borough Council piloted a project for local SMEs to bid for contracts as part of the Welsh housing quality standard programme, and it brought together four SMEs who worked together to deliver an external refurbishment...
Hefin David: I welcome the economic plan, and Adam Price has already made reference in the Chamber to my Cardiff University briefing back in September. I had no sight of the action plan before the embargo, but I would say that it does reflect some of the things that we've been talking about as backbenchers on this side of the Chamber, certainly the introduction, and particularly the foundational economy....
Hefin David: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. You can say what you want about Lee Waters, and, let's face it, many people do, but he has used this debate that he's led to stand up for his constituents and, at the same time, advocate policy change and cultural shift. I don't know how successful he's been, and perhaps we'll come back to that at the end of my summing up.
Hefin David: It's not going to change how I'm going to vote. But certainly it's led to some consideration in this Chamber and a serious consideration in this Chamber, which is an important thing. We're talking about the topography—Adam Price mentioned it—of the south Wales Valleys. Adam Price connected it with nation building, as you'd expect and as he does so often, so effectively. But, I think that...
Hefin David: Yes, and I'm well aware that individual constituency AMs on these benches have raised these issues with Government. I think this is a discussion that needs to go on, and I would expect Government to be responding to those issues already. I know that that dialogue is going on, so you raise a very pertinent point. David Rowlands talked about the overdependence on the motor car as well, so...
Hefin David: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on ensuring that GP care is fit for the 21st century?
Hefin David: Those of us who were brought up in a typical Valleys community will know that there is no such thing as a typical Valleys community. I'm from Caerphilly. My constituency is split south and north, and what you would see in the south of Caerphilly is a different kind of community to that which you would see in the north of Caerphilly. But also, those of us who've got friends and relatives who...
Hefin David: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on the ways in which health boards and local authorities can collaborate to ensure effective and joined-up working? OAQ51576
Hefin David: With the parliamentary review of health and social care in mind, I've been approached by constituents who've raised concerns about continuity of care for children moving into adulthood. Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board tell me they're working with their five local authority partners in their area to try and move towards a pooled integrated service provision, but this has proven a challenge,...
Hefin David: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on plans for the replacement of the Welsh Government's Children and Young People's Continuing Care Guidance 2012? OAQ51636
Hefin David: I'm really pleased that the task and finish group has been set up. This is the document. Constituency AMs, and I'm sure regional AMs, get many people who are concerned about the transition from childhood to adulthood for those children needing continuing healthcare. This document is responsible for guidance for children. This document, a separate document, is responsible for guidance for...
Hefin David: 7. Will the Leader of the House make a statement on high-speed broadband provision in the Caerphilly constituency? OAQ51610
Hefin David: I'd like to thank the leader of the house for the heroic efforts in which she's engaged to get the broadband issue sorted in Castle Reach and Kingsmead estates in Caerphilly. She has worked incredibly hard and I'm very pleased to see that it's happened. But I wanted to—[Interruption.] Of course, contrary to what Russell George said earlier. I wanted to raise the issue of the delivery plan...
Hefin David: These committee reports are very helpful, and they reveal the real Russell George, I think, which we've seen as Chair of the committee, not the Russell George we'll see, perhaps, in the next debate. I think this is the true personality of the reasonable Assembly Member that is Russell George. It's worth remembering that Adam Price referred to the city deal, during the previous economic...
