Luke Fletcher: I think Sioned hit the nail on the head when she said that support is not support if you don't know it's there. I'd like to thank her for proposing this motion. The reality is that many don't take up the benefits they're entitled to—benefits that they desperately need. I believe it is incumbent on the Government to seek out those in need and not to expect those in need to come forward....
Luke Fletcher: I want to thank the Chair and clerks for their work on this report, and I also want to give thanks for the work that happened through the engagement team, which was a great help as we gathered evidence from workers in the sectors of tourism, retail and hospitality, a workforce that often has difficulty in ensuring that its voice is heard outside of the workplace. I know that many are very...
Luke Fletcher: I’m going to focus on hospitality in particular. It’s a significant sector in itself, employing at its height 200,000 people in Wales, and it’s a sector that I have a good amount of experience in. However, much of this will be applicable to retail and tourism. When we first undertook our inquiry into the sector, much of it focused on the effects the pandemic had on it as a sector, and...
Luke Fletcher: Thank you to the committee for all of its work on this issue. I'm not sure whether the previous speaker had read the report in its entirety.
Luke Fletcher: The recommendations in the committee's report and the positive response from Welsh Government are very welcome. We only need to look back as recently as lockdown to see how important it is to have sufficient access to broadband. It was one of the very few avenues many of us had to avoid isolation and stay connected to friends and loved ones. The pandemic forced us to ask questions on how we...
Luke Fletcher: I'll start, as we always tend to in these debates, and thank the Chair for his expert way in how he chairs our committee, as well as all the work the clerks do as well, and in particular the evidence we received from various stakeholders and community action groups. I'll highlight the Caerau and Ely action group, much like the Chair did, and refer to their point around it only being of...
Luke Fletcher: I'll conclude by saying that we must endeavour to carry out the work that denaturalises this. The reality is that this isn't normal and people shouldn't have to struggle to afford the basics.
Luke Fletcher: Trefnydd, could I request a written or oral statement, whichever one is more appropriate, on the progress of Big Bocs Bwyd and how it interacts with local community organisations also providing food for those who need it? A number of organisations have approached me, expressing some concern that there is a lack of co-ordination, which has ultimately led to multiple organisations competing for...
Luke Fletcher: Thank you, Deputy Minister, for the statement today.
Luke Fletcher: Thankfully, we are seeing fewer and fewer domestic fires. I think that's a positive thing going forward, and, of course, I know that there are many people in the fire service who wish now to see what else they can do in order for the service to remain relevant. I was quite disappointed, actually, with one of the comments made by Joel, which sort of, in my view, equated the fact that now there...
Luke Fletcher: Carry on? No worries. Of course, our fire services are facing increased pressures. Staff shortages are one of them, climate-change-induced weather extremes occurring more and more often, and challenges that will come as we head into winter in the midst of an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. The National Fire Chiefs Council is worried that people are going to be at additional risk due to...
Luke Fletcher: How many of us have been grateful for the care that a relative has received when they are ill? I'm certainly grateful for the care that two of my grandparents received during COVID. That care that we rely on wouldn't be possible, and the quality of the care wouldn't be as good, without nurses—nurses who are asked every shift to go the extra mile, who were asked to take an extra shift during...
Luke Fletcher: Thank you to Cefin for bringing this short debate forward. Cefin has made an important point already: businesses that aren't located in our communities mean that the wealth created bleeds out of those communities. Building community wealth tries to restructure the economy so that wealth is captured within the community, is shared and democratised. Social enterprises can also help to transform...
Luke Fletcher: Could we have an oral or written statement on school transport, please?
Luke Fletcher: At 07:30 on Thursday morning, parents and local representatives walked from Maesteg park down to Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd, to highlight how long and unsafe the route to school is to walk. It took them roughly 45 minutes to an hour to make the journey, and that happened to be an okay day weather-wise, but the reality is that kids are walking in all weathers. I understand that budgets are...
Luke Fletcher: Could I associate myself with the comments of Jack Sargeant around pre-payment meters? They're wrong, they're immoral, and action needs to be taken on them as soon as possible. But I would be interested to know what conversations have also happened with energy companies around introducing a potential social tariff, similar to what we have with the water companies and broadband providers. I...
Luke Fletcher: 5. What progress has the Minister made regarding collaboration with the UK Government on the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill? OQ58791
Luke Fletcher: Diolch am yr ymateb, Gweinidog. I'm sure the Minister is expecting a question around greyhounds here, but not on this occasion. I would like to highlight and express that I share the concerns of RSPCA Cymru who have called on the UK Government to prioritise the completion of the Bill, so that the cruel practices it aims to address become a thing of the past. However, there are worries that...
Luke Fletcher: As we approach Small Business Saturday, we have to recognise that we're in the middle of the worst cost-of-living crisis for 40 years. The impact on our small businesses will be severe. This is one of the main economic concerns facing small businesses at present, with 89 per cent of companies noting higher costs than a year ago. Small businesses won't have the reserves that bigger businesses...
Luke Fletcher: Llywydd, no contribution to a debate on small businesses in the run-up to Small Business Saturday would be complete without me taking the opportunity to highlight some of the fantastic local businesses in my region. Last year, I told Members about where I get my hair cut; well, different to last year, I now get my hair cut in Dappa Chaps in Pencoed by a fantastic barber called Fletch—no...
