Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the leader of the house for her statement, which, I was pleased to note, acknowledges the sacrifices of those who went before us and those who spoke up for women's right to vote, and, indeed, women's right to stand for election? In the case of the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency, it's a matter of pride to me that such support came from Keir Hardie, who was their MP at the...
Dawn Bowden: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on recent intergovernmental discussions about Wales's future relationship with the EU? OAQ51758
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Perhaps I should more usefully have asked about the internal workings of the UK Government, because as far as I can see they can't agree amongst themselves at the moment on the nature of our future relationship with the EU, so it's really hard to see how they can talk sensibly to the devolved nations about it. We've heard several times, Cabinet Secretary, that...
Dawn Bowden: I think I would be agreeing with virtually all the comments that have already been made this afternoon. There was a great deal of consensus in the committee, and we heard some very powerful evidence from a number of organisations and bodies that led us to our report and the recommendations in it.
Dawn Bowden: For my contribution, I just want to really make some general observations on the issues around isolation and loneliness, rather than focusing on any of the specific recommendations, because it's a huge irony, isn't it, in the days of the internet, of knowing that people can FaceTime each other from four corners of the globe, that on our very doorsteps, here in our communities, we find the...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement? The consultation on services fit for the future was very wide-ranging, and it covered significant areas of governance and, as you say, sits alongside the parliamentary review looking at how we ensure that services are delivered in the right places by the right teams of people. From the responses that were received, it's clear that there...
Dawn Bowden: I don't know whether they recycle plastic pellets to make heating, but if they could put them into the system here and warm the Chamber up, that would be great. Minister, I'm sorry I missed you in Merthyr yesterday. I wanted to welcome your announcement, particularly the nearly £1.3 million that you've announced to invest in specialist machinery equipment in Merthyr, including a...
Dawn Bowden: I think most of us Valleys AMs, Cabinet Secretary, are very supportive of the strategic hub—I was trying to think of the words there—in the plan. I think identifying opportunities to invest in the social and economic conditions in communities like the upper Rhymney valley and in your own constituency of Blaenau Gwent forms an important consideration of the public sector partners on the...
Dawn Bowden: Like others, Cabinet Secretary, can I also join you in thanking the health and social services staff, emergency responders, public service workers and volunteers, of course, in the efforts that they've shown over this winter and especially over the last few days? In my former role—I may have mentioned this once or twice—I was a trade union official, and I did represent NHS staff. It's...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I will try to keep it brief, but I do have a couple of points I want to make. Firstly, can I thank you for your statement and the positive actions that, clearly, the Welsh Government have been carrying out already? And can I say in particular that today was absolutely fantastic when we saw the unveiling of the purple plaque for Val Feld, and that...
Dawn Bowden: Cabinet Secretary, considering the well-being objectives, can I ask you what consideration, if any, you've given to initiatives that we've seen in France and more recently in Scotland to control the use of mobile phones in schools as a way of helping to combat both school bullying and disruption to learning?
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Julie for giving me a minute of her time in this debate on a really very important issue? Now, Assembly colleagues will be aware that, for some time, I've been raising the profile of the so-called 'sex for rent' problem that can face some of the most vulnerable people who are seeking to find a home. Indeed, the recent broadcast by the reporters...
Dawn Bowden: I do care, Rhun, and they are involved, all the time.
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. Last Friday, it was my great pleasure to join the community of Bedlinog, in my constituency, as they celebrated the opening of their community library. I've sat in this Chamber too often hearing about the loss of local services in so many communities in Wales, as we are unable to avoid the impact and the consequences of pressures caused by austerity and budget cuts. But,...
Dawn Bowden: Leader of the house, in recent weeks, I've been made aware of severe restrictions on the connection of power sources, including renewable power sources, to the national grid in Merthyr Tydfil—and, so, I presume in other areas as well. It seems to me that that has significant implications for several policies of the Welsh Government, including energy generation, decarbonisation of the public...
Dawn Bowden: Like others, can I thank you very much for bringing forward the statement? It deals, clearly, with a number of vital issues that are essential to the future of local economies across the whole country. But I'd like to raise two specific issues. One is very basic, practical and not strictly in your portfolio, so if you'll just bear with me, because you do actually mention it in the plan, and...
Dawn Bowden: Despite the obvious budgetary challenges that have just been talked about—we're now into our eighth or ninth year of austerity—I know that improving public services is something you feel as strongly about as I do. So, I was pleased to see the recent launches of Unison's residential care charter, which followed on from the launch of their ethical care charter last year. And both set out...
Dawn Bowden: 4. Will the Commissioner make a statement on the arrangements for asbestos management on the Assembly estate? OAQ52003
Dawn Bowden: Okay, thank you for that answer, because obviously you are aware that there are some 3,000 different asbestos-containing materials—so-called ACMs—in use across the country, and I chair the cross-party group on asbestos, primarily looking at asbestos in schools and other public buildings. So, I thought it was incumbent on me to make sure that we're doing what we should be doing on our own...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. Like Siân Gwenllian, can I start, before making my contribution, by paying tribute to many colleagues, both inside and outside of politics, over a considerable period of time— that doesn't actually include UKIP, quite frankly—that have been so actively involved in the WASPI campaign seeking justice for these women? There are so many aspects—
