Siân Gwenllian: Complex or not, it’s clear that there’s a need to look in detail at the situation following losing some of the safeguards that we have at the moment through being a member of the European Union. Ensuring rights to users to receive services through the medium of Welsh is the basis of the 2011 Act and the standards that have followed that. The standards in health are deficient—they...
Siân Gwenllian: That is my concern, of course. The feeling is that the new legislation, whenever that is going to see the light of day, is holding things back substantially at the moment, and is, therefore, holding back the rights of Welsh speakers. I mentioned that perhaps it’s political goodwill that’s behind this. Perhaps it’s a lack of staffing that's the problem in introducing the standards. I’m...
Siân Gwenllian: I do understand, of course, that a great deal of hard work has gone into it, but that's our job—to work hard on behalf of the people of Wales. As a Welsh person and a democrat, I've been shocked at how easily you've given in to the Tories and have transferred these powers to them in London—the powers that the people of Wales have stated in two referenda that the Welsh Parliament should...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much, and thank you for the opportunity to discuss the Green Paper on local government reform, which is the result, of course, of an unexpected u-turn by this Government. ‘Strengthening Local Government: Delivering for People’ is the title of the latest document, and I agree entirely with the need to strengthen our councils. Local government that is resilient and...
Siân Gwenllian: 5. Will you make a statement on the gender review that is currently being conducted by the Welsh Government? OAQ52107
Siân Gwenllian: I welcome the review, of course, as long as the outputs are clear and that it will lead to an improvement in equality. In announcing the review in a speech in Oxford, the First Minister said, as you have also done, that he wants Wales to be the safest place for women in Europe. Again, I agree entirely, but turning those words into a reality will require commitment and firm political will. At...
Siân Gwenllian: Can you give me an assurance that I will receive an honest and clear response from your Government on a simple issue, which I have been pursuing now since January? I've asked the Minister for the Welsh language how many staff are located in the Government's Welsh language unit—those staff responsible for preparing Welsh language standards regulations. Having received the response 'loads' in...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you for the statement. The national development framework will set the national strategy for planning for the next 20 years, as you note. So, it is very important that the Welsh Government consults as much as possible to ensure that the right objectives are set and that the right strategy is in place to deliver the framework. Of course, the strategic development plans and the local...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure for me to close this debate. I’m very grateful to Jane Hutt for asking me to do so. Jane started by talking about the stigma related to period poverty, as well as the affordability of hygiene and sanitary products, and of course the motion talks about improving awareness and education with regard to periods, and breaking that taboo. I think the fact...
Siân Gwenllian: I’m sure that we would all agree with the principle that you’ve just put forward. It’s a matter, perhaps, of offering the choice at present, and educating more young women about the advantages of the more environmentally friendly methods that you’re talking about. But I think, at present, it is important that the choice is there, and that’s why I do welcome the £1 million that has...
Siân Gwenllian: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans for the M4?
Siân Gwenllian: 7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's work to safeguard post office services in Arfon? OAQ52136
Siân Gwenllian: The post office in Upper Bangor was closed without warning a few weeks ago, meaning that businesses, students and local residents had to rely on a mobile service in a car park, which is only available for an hour a week. That is entirely unacceptable. It is crucial that the post office in Upper Bangor has a permanent home in the future. I accept that it’s not a devolved matter, but there...
Siân Gwenllian: I want to look at three particular areas—and I'm looking forward to hear the Minister’s comments on these three areas—starting with recommendation 1, relating to prejudice on the grounds of gender. Of course, unfortunately, some of the conclusions in the report aren't new to us, and certainly, in autumn of 2012, the Enterprise and Business Committee raised the importance of tackling...
Siân Gwenllian: 9. Will the First Minister provide an update on increasing the provision of medical education in Bangor University? OAQ52201
Siân Gwenllian: You will be aware, of course, that I have been prioritising a campaign for a medical school at Bangor, because I believe that it is a means of improving patient care across north Wales. I commissioned this report, 'Tackling the Crisis', which outlined the case very clearly and there was an agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Labour Party and £7 million was allocated towards developing a...
Siân Gwenllian: I have two issues I’d like to raise with you. The first: in the budget agreement between Plaid Cymru and Labour, £2 million was allocated to promote co-operation between western counties on strategic linguistic and economic issues. Unfortunately, there is still confusion as to which Cabinet Secretary is responsible for this important programme, or at least we can’t access that...
Siân Gwenllian: I stand here today to state that I’m against this LCM that is before us, and against it because it could open the door to undermine the National Assembly. Over two years ago, I had the thrill of coming here as an Assembly Member for the first time to join with this Parliament, and in coming here I was very aware of the work of patriots who had been campaigning so hard to establish this...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you for the statement and for marking this important day. Having this statement is a means of raising awareness of the terrible discrimination that still happens and the terrible violence facing people from the LGBT community across the world, but also here in Wales, unfortunately. There is a great deal of room for improvement, as the statistics in your statement note. I would like to...
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you very much. At the outset, Plaid Cymru would like to bring a slightly different vision to the table—different to what is outlined in the Government’s motion, or perhaps additional to what’s included in the Government’s motion, because we believe that we need to recognise that the planning system has a role to play in maintaining and creating viable communities as a means of...
