Steffan Lewis: I think, of all the Celtic countries, we've got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to maximising the opportunities of engaging with our diaspora. There are a couple of points I'd like to raise with the First Minister—one I've raised before, and that is the decision of the Welsh Government not to continue to measure Wales's global reputation. I wonder if the First Minister could put in...
Steffan Lewis: This week, we saw the unprecedented step of a joint statement between the UK National Cyber Security Centre, the FBI and the US Department of Homeland Security, warning of heightened risks to our internet infrastructure and hardware from Russian state-sponsored hackers. Newport is at the forefront of cyber security expertise, with the excellent National Cyber Security Academy located in that...
Steffan Lewis: The leader of the house will be aware that Caerphilly council will be spending another £193,000 to cover the ongoing costs of the ongoing, never-ending senior officer pay scandal, a cost, of course, which is being borne by local people themselves through no fault of their own. The total cost of this entire fiasco now is well over £5 million—incidentally, £5 million that could be put to...
Steffan Lewis: The leader of the house will be aware of the public health scandal that is the A472 between Crumlin and Hafodyrynys. It isn't a Welsh Government trunk road, but I wondered if the Welsh Government has considered reclassifying it as a Welsh Government trunk road. It is a major route, after all, for the region and the area, but more importantly, with the resources of the Welsh...
Steffan Lewis: I rise, once again, with regret, to raise concerns about governance at Caerphilly County Borough Council, increasingly the wild west of Welsh local government. A freedom of information request by Plaid Cymru has revealed that nine former members of staff have been re-employed after receiving early retirement, severance or redundancy. This is, of course, contrary to the council's own policy...
Steffan Lewis: Could we have a statement from the Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care on the future of the Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Wales) Order 2010? Members will be aware that this is the instrument that excludes registered childminders from Government funding if they are caring for the children of relatives. I think perhaps it's a good time to look again at those exceptions...
Steffan Lewis: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today, although I am surprised that, in his statement, there's a failure to refer to the potential risks of international trade deals should we leave the European customs union. Surely the biggest threat facing the founding principles of the NHS as it approaches its seventieth year is that of new international trade deals led by Dr Liam Fox. In...
Steffan Lewis: What discussions has the First Minister held regarding the transition period that will come into effect after the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019?
Steffan Lewis: The First Minister will be aware of the comprehensive report published yesterday by the Wales Centre for Public Policy, entitled 'The Welsh Tax Base: Risks and Opportunities after Fiscal Devolution'. I don't expect he's read it all overnight, but, in it, innovative approaches are suggested for regressive taxes, particularly council tax. And, as we know, people living in the lowest valued...
Steffan Lewis: Will the First Minister make a statement on discussions the Welsh Government has held with the UK Government regarding the impact of Brexit on Wales?
Steffan Lewis: Central to future economic growth, of course, will be our trading relations with the rest of the world. As part of its preparations to separate from the European Union, the UK Government has established 14 trade working groups that involve 21 third countries to lay groundwork for future independent trade deals upon leaving the European customs union. The Cabinet Secretary wrote to the...
Steffan Lewis: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's international development policy?
Steffan Lewis: Can I say I regret, to say the least, some of the comments made by the Conservative spokesperson? To say that we in Plaid Cymru seek the destruction of the British people, I think, goes beyond the bounds of usual political banter. I'm sure the Member will want to reflect on his comments and perhaps apologise once he's cooled down at some point. And to use terms such as 'fun and games' when...
Steffan Lewis: Diolch, Llywydd. Yesterday, we saw the publication of two documents that are significant to Wales's fiscal and economic well-being. The first one was the document from the Office for Budget Responsibility—the fiscal sustainability report. The second was the Welsh Government's paper on reforming UK funding and fiscal arrangements after separation from the European Union. The OBR's report was...
Steffan Lewis: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. It's disappointing though and not surprising any more that he is yet to have assurances from the UK Government that regional policy would remain devolved and that Wales wouldn't lose out on a single penny. What I think people might be interested to learn from Welsh Government, however, is its future vision for regional policy, if we continue to...
Steffan Lewis: I thank him for that answer, and I'm pleased to hear that we wouldn't have a situation in Wales where—as much as we don't want Wales as a whole to lose out on a single penny of what we could expect in regional aid, we wouldn't want any community to lose a single penny in terms of what it could expect in regional aid as well. Another aspect that is touched upon in the latest paper...
Steffan Lewis: 5. Will the First Minister provide an update on the latest preparations for leaving the European Union? OAQ52585
Steffan Lewis: I thank the First Minister for that answer. Of course, crucial to preparations for leaving the European Union will be future migration policy, and today the Migration Advisory Committee has published a report. They say that EU migrants paid more in tax than they took in benefits, contributed more to the NHS workforce than the healthcare they accessed, and they had no effect on crime rates....
Steffan Lewis: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today and for updating the Assembly, but, despite the flurry of apparent activity over the summer in relation to our separation from the EU, we are no closer to answers to fundamental questions—questions so fundamental that they range from the future of an international peace treaty to food security. What is becoming very clear, however, is...
Steffan Lewis: But, in terms of a general election in the event of an impasse in the House of Commons, what does the First Minister think would be achieved by any outcome that is possible there, because, of course, both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn want to take us out of the single market and the customs union? So, surely a choice of hard Brexits isn't a choice at all. And I notice that, in his reply to...
