Carolyn Thomas: Sorry, I just want to carry on. I'm mid flow and I've only got a minute left.
Carolyn Thomas: I've just—sorry, I don't know where I'm up to you, now. I have just read that the Scottish Government's rent freeze has lots of exceptions for private landlords, where a landlord faces increased property costs, mortgage interest payments and some insurance costs, so they do have exceptions, and they're not included in that rent freeze. We need to ensure that there is targeted help for those...
Carolyn Thomas: Diolch. When I was a councillor having to deal with 10 years of austerity and cuts, we often used to think what's the point in having Government setting policy and Parliament setting policy when we didn't have the budget or resources to actually deliver them. Now the situation has got much worse under the chaos and inflationary pressures brought on by the UK Government. Cardiff's gap is £53...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you. So, Minister, what representations will you be making back to the UK Government that we do need investment in public services? Thirty per cent of people in Wales are employed in public services, and you need them to help the private sector grow. Thank you.
Carolyn Thomas: 6. What is the Welsh Government doing to address the workforce shortage and skills gap in North Wales? OQ58583
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you, Minister. Businesses and agencies are struggling to recruit due to leaving the EU, visa complications and the pandemic. The slogan 'Stop immigration now' drove a lot of the Brexit rhetoric, without any recognition of the huge contributions that those that move here make here in the UK. The pandemic made people over 50 rethink their lifestyle, not wanting to work the now normalised...
Carolyn Thomas: Will you take an intervention?
Carolyn Thomas: NHS Wales, despite having the funding from UK Government, will still have an energy gap to fill of £100 million, nearly—£90 million to £100 million, I heard last week. Is that true?
Carolyn Thomas: I'm pleased to see that the lack of grid capacity has been recognised in recommendation 6 and 7. It's the biggest barrier to the uptake of renewables within north Wales. There's no shortage of households that wish to have renewable energy, such as solar PV and air-source heat pumps, but getting to the grid—the distribution network operator installing it—is causing so many issues. I've...
Carolyn Thomas: Can I just declare an interest? I'm a member of the North Wales Wildlife Trust. Thank you. I attended the wildlife trust annual general meeting on Saturday. They do great work with landowners regarding managing them for nature, and the chief executive officer spoke of significant concerns about UK Government policies weakening environmental protections on leaving the EU, and also deregulation...
Carolyn Thomas: I've got a few suggestions as well from residents. Some of them have probably already been covered, if that's okay. As I said before, Britannia is a permanent bottleneck and there are two carriageways on the bridge, but there's also space for another lane, which has been discussed in the past and was raised earlier. So, would the Minister request an urgent re-evaluation of the third central...
Carolyn Thomas: I must say that this proposal does have laudable aims, and thanks, Sam, for bringing this forward for a discussion. I think trying and learning new skills in our wonderful outdoor environment of independence, bonding with others in a day at camp or an outdoor activity are ones you do remember, and it's great for physical and mental health and well-being. I don't remember going to one with...
Carolyn Thomas: —he has said to me that the Welsh Government, though, does provide PDG funding, so they do use that money to enable those who are on free school meals to visit education centres at the moment. So, if the Minister could let me know if that funding is being cut, because it is essential. As I said, schools do not have the resources. Now is not the time for this. The UK Government, the Tory...
Carolyn Thomas: I've been to three cost-of-living seminars in north Wales recently, and communication of what benefits people are entitled to was the biggest issue. There have been a variety of suggestions: an online grant checker, printing the CAB advice number on prescription bags from the pharmacy, having community advisers who get to know those hard to reach in the community and a single-point-of-access...
Carolyn Thomas: 9. What discussions has the Welsh Government had regarding the pay and conditions of Royal Mail workers in Wales? OQ58677
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that, Minister. Before being elected as a Member of the Senedd, I was a postal worker for Royal Mail, and I know how hard deliverers work day in, day out. I walked an average of 12 miles a day for five or six hours, in all weather—extreme heat, storms, snow—and my ex-colleagues have embraced change already to increase productivity and efficiency, being more flexible...
Carolyn Thomas: 3. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers about the timetable for the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill? OQ58676
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for the answer, Counsel General. I know you agree that this bonfire of the EU retained law started by Rees-Mogg is an extremely dangerous one. Not only does it put at risk important protections, including workers' rights and climate measures, it's also a blatant attempt to undermine devolution, Welsh Government and this Senedd. Given that this Bill will have serious implications for...
Carolyn Thomas: Urgent action is needed to ensure that no community, no business and no household is left behind to prevent inequality. A Women's Institute survey found that over 50 per cent of respondents from a rural area did not feel that their internet was fast and reliable, and 66 per cent stated that they or their household had been impacted by poor broadband. They had difficulties in obtaining...
Carolyn Thomas: The cost-of-living crisis is 12 years in the making, exacerbated by Brexit, the war in Ukraine and the Tory UK Government's policies, cutting public service funding, pushing productivity to an unrealistic limit and slashing social security payments. I would like to welcome recommendations 8 and 9 of this report. Having to apply for benefits and grants is confusing and messy. Residents hear...
