Siân Gwenllian: Just a very brief word as the Bill reaches the end of its journey through this Assembly. Plaid Cymru has supported the Bill fully throughout the process, and has assisted in improving it through the scrutiny process. Abolishing the right to buy has been a policy of our party over a period of decades. We were convinced that the right to buy would militate against those who can’t afford to...
Siân Gwenllian: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of housing developments on the Welsh language?
Siân Gwenllian: Members of your Government have described the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 as legislation that breaks new ground. Now, do you think that that is a fair description of how that Act is being implemented?
Siân Gwenllian: We’ve seen a report by committee that has expressed great concern about the implementation of the Act—that it is sluggish, or some parts haven’t been implemented at all. This week, I received an update on the situation and these are the facts for you: there is no action plan over a year since the strategy was published; it appears that no guidance related to local strategies has been...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you. And I truly hope that we will see this progress as a matter of urgency now. And I thank you for your commitment, and I hope we will be in a far better position in a few months’ time. And any legislation needs to be backed up by funding, of course, in order to truly achieve its potential. But, once again, I do have some concerns here, and Women’s Aid Wales have warned that...
Siân Gwenllian: 9. Will the Leader of the House make a statement on the Welsh Government's efforts to ensure the fair representation of women in elected roles? OAQ51434
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you. Less than a third of all candidates in the 2017 local government elections were women, and only 27 per cent of those who were elected were women. The Government has consulted recently on electoral reform in the area of local government in Wales, but they were very disappointed to see that there was no mention at all in the consultation paper about the Government’s attempts to...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you, Llywydd, and it’s a pleasure to open the Plaid Cymru debate today on universal credit. This is the second debate in six weeks that we have tabled on this particular issue, because we are extremely concerned about the impact that this destructive policy will have on our citizens here in Wales. Like many of you in the Chamber today, we are concerned, but in addition to that, and in...
Siân Gwenllian: Early feedback indicates extremely disabling circumstances for many households.
Siân Gwenllian: Plaid Cymru’s stance on this issue is clear: in order to protect our citizens from the actions of the Conservatives at their worst, we must start to devolve the administration of welfare to Wales. We can then put an end to the culture of delay and sanction, and also ensure that individuals rather than homes receive payments, in order to ensure that this new system won’t have a...
Siân Gwenllian: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Welsh Government plans for business rates?
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you, Llywydd. The Equality and Human Rights Commission continues to do important work in the challenging political climate facing us, and I too would like to thank them for their work. Sunday was Human Rights Day—equality, justice and freedom from violence are some of the major themes. The remit of the commission's work is broad, and therefore today I have decided to focus on one...
Siân Gwenllian: People with mental health issues have particular difficulties in finding routes to work or back to work after a period of illness. One way of facilitating access to the workplace is to offer work placements, which would mean that they wouldn’t need to go through the traditional process of interview and the anxiety and stress that that can lead to. What attempts has the Government made to...
Siân Gwenllian: 6. What schemes does the Welsh Government have in place to contribute to its target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050? OAQ51477
Siân Gwenllian: A new report by the Welsh Language Commissioner on the provision of childcare and early years provision through the medium of Welsh states this: 'Although the Welsh Government is aware of the importance of childcare to the future of the language, there are no specific and firm plans on how they intend to integrate the 30 Hours Scheme and the 2050 vision.' 'Prosperity for All' notes the...
Siân Gwenllian: Could I say at the outset how appalling UKIP’s comments were yesterday about minority rights? Members of minority groups have an inalienable right to be treated equally, whatever their gender identity or sexual orientation or the colour of their skin or their religion or disability or anything else. I hadn’t ever—[Interruption.]
Siân Gwenllian: —expected to hear such a foul opinion in our Senedd.
Siân Gwenllian: I move on to the subject at issue. The method of providing low-cost, affordable housing is one of the great challenges that face this Government. Certainly, modular housing can be a useful tool in increasing the housing supply in Wales, and brownfield sites are appropriate for housing developments. But, a word of warning about some aspects of this: historically, modular housing has been seen...
Siân Gwenllian: It’s important to bear in mind exactly what happened in 1918, of course, when women were allowed to vote for the first time, but there was no equality with men at that time. Men were allowed to vote at 21, but women had to wait until they were 30 and had to own property. It took another 10 years before men and women were treated equally as voters. Of course, I’m sure you would agree that...
Siân Gwenllian: The council tax reduction schemes are vital to the most vulnerable people in Wales and this is a scheme that allows many people to receive a reduction and it exists, to an extent, because the council tax is not progressive enough. So, I’d like to ask, first of all, whether the Government has an intention to look at a fairer taxation system so that we won’t need a council tax reduction...
