Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you very much to everyone who's participated in the debate this afternoon. It's been an interesting debate with interesting ideas raised with regard to the way forward. We heard from—.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: James was talking about enhanced measures and targets, and we need those.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Rhun spoke about the numbers and the highest level in 20 years, but that alcohol and mental health go vice versa. It's a vicious circle in that regard.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Joyce talked about advertising and the prevalence of alcohol in every aspect of life and also the increased alcohol harm in women in particular; Sioned, the tragic and often—the health inequalities causing the issues. They are deeply entrenched in our society and the most socially deprived areas are being the most affected by these. And Altaf talking about functioning alcoholics becoming...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: What is the Government doing to improve energy efficiency in homes in South Wales East?
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Will the First Minister make a statement on flexible working practices in the public sector in Wales?
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much for the update today, Minister. There are elements within the draft that we welcome, and we look forward to the opportunity to influence its impact, as referenced by the Minister's statement. Since 2012, Plaid Cymru has continually called for increased public procurement. We want to increase Welsh firms' share of contracts from 52 per cent to 75 per cent of the public...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Risca foodbank, along with my Plaid Cymru colleague Delyth Jewell. There, we heard about the increasing demand for their services, which is hardly surprising with the cost-of-living crisis that continues throughout Wales and affecting our communities. I fear that the demand is set to get much higher in our foodbanks throughout the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr. Something else that struck me on a number of visits throughout the region was the age profile of some of the key volunteers that these venues and clubs need to keep them ticking over. Many are older and there's little evidence of succession planning, which is a concern for the viability of some of these key pillars of our community in the years to come. Can the Welsh...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I echo some of the questions from Jayne Bryant and Natasha Asghar, and I was also very concerned to hear about the news of this development this morning. I'd like the Minister to inform the Senedd about the extent of the due diligence that was conducted before a considerable sum of £10 million was invested. Was the Government not awake to what had been described, in a statement by Schroder...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Trefnydd, there are serious question marks about the future of peer mentoring services for people with drug, alcohol and mental health issues in Wales. Some in the sector believe that services could collapse over the summer as the new contract is yet to be put out to tender and may not be in place until October or November of this year. This means that peer mentoring services will not be able...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 8. What is the Government doing to regenerate town centres in South Wales East? OQ58220
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Minister. Many of the town centres within my region are struggling. A perfect storm of high business rates, the rise of online shopping and the cost-of-living crisis has made prospects look bleak for many traders. Despite investment of £900 million in Wales in the last eight years, one in seven shops on a high street remain empty, according to Audit Wales. They also say that: 'Powers...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 9. How is the Government encouraging children in South Wales East to embark on further education? OQ58221
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much for that response.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The vast majority of my region is made up of working-class communities where the cost-of-living crisis is being felt most acutely. The announcement last week that interest rates on student loans would be capped at 7.3 per cent to prevent them rising to 12 per cent was a mercy, but a very small one at that. An interest rate of 7.3 per cent is still extortionate and off-putting. I fear this...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: It's great to see so much support from across the Chamber. Community is, no doubt, important wherever you live in the world. I may be biased, but I think that community is extra special to people living in Wales. We are, by nature, an outgoing, kind and selfless people. Perhaps this is why we tend to seek common bonds through family, friends or place of birth, rather than profession, when we...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Yes, certainly.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I think it’s, as we’re calling it here today, time to do something about it, so it’s good to—[Interruption.] Anyway. There will be many communities in Wales that have lost community assets over the last decade without the legislation. I can provide a recent example of somewhere that looks set to lose the only pub in a very small community. The people behind the campaign to save the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. How is the Government promoting fair pay for workers in the third sector? OQ58319
