Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. In spite of the significant investment in health services in my constituency, we can see that there still remains an alarming health trend amongst the local population. You'll be aware that in 2016 the annual report of the Chief Medical Officer for Wales highlighted the social inequities that affect areas like Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. Now, clearly...
Dawn Bowden: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the implications of the Office for National Statistics forecasts for the working age population of Wales? OAQ52911
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. The chief economist's report, which accompanies the Welsh budget, highlights the risk to the Welsh tax base if the working-age population continues to decline in Wales, especially when compared to the forecast rise of this age group in England. The chief economist's report goes on to say that this could mean £150 million a year less in the Welsh budget...
Dawn Bowden: 1. Will the Leader of House provide an update on Welsh Government action to tackle hate crime? OAQ52912
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that, leader of the house. First of all, can I thank you and what the Welsh Government have been doing on this important issue? The scale of the problem was recently highlighted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission report that we debated last week, and it's an important question for all Assembly Members to consider, and even more for all of us to acknowledge that the...
Dawn Bowden: 3. Can the Minister please update the National Assembly on EU funding for skills training in Wales? OAQ52961
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, Minister. It's clear to me that the European Union has been a great benefit in funding skills and training opportunities. Certainly in my constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, the funds provided by the European social fund have a clear focus on the essential task of getting many vulnerable people back into the labour market. So, can you provide my...
Dawn Bowden: Can I just say: if only life were as simple as this motion seeks to suggest? If only we could pass motions that then delivered money to fund our many public services, but life never is that easy, unfortunately, because, from what I know, and in spite of what the UK Prime Minister states, it is clear that austerity is not over and it's the shadow that continues to hang over us. The pressures...
Dawn Bowden: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Welsh Government support for bus services in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney?
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Llywydd. Can I—
Dawn Bowden: Well, thank you, Llywydd, and after that speech, I'm going to change my vote. [Laughter.] Anyway, can I be clear from the start? This current deal—it fails us, it simply isn't good enough. It's unclear, it risks our safety and security, and it puts our economy at risk. Now, I spent many years as a negotiator, and in that time, I've seen lots of so-called 'final offers', but I always found...
Dawn Bowden: Leader of the house, hopefully, you will have seen some of the current campaign work being undertaken by Housing Women Cymru to highlight the need for the end of sex for rent. As we know, any arrangement involving sex for rent is illegal—no grey areas. We now know that that's been confirmed. Can I thank the housing Minister for her statement on the support for the campaign that was issued...
Dawn Bowden: 1. Will the First Minister outline how the economic priorities set out in the programme for government are delivering for people in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ53102
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. I know that, across the many elements of the programme for government, you can be proud to have led a Government that's delivering improvements in my constituency. You'll recall that we've opened new schools and refurbished schools, that we've welcomed new investments, including General Dynamics in Pentrebach, Sharp Clinical in Rhymney, and, of...
Dawn Bowden: Mark Drakeford.
Dawn Bowden: As soon as I'd read the report yesterday, I contacted the chief executive of the health board directly for information. I was already aware, of course, that Interserve were a contractor undertaking work on the refurbishment of Prince Charles Hospital. I've seen their work first hand as they've completed the first part of phase 1, and we're now moving into the second part of phase 1. Now, the...
Dawn Bowden: 1. Will the Minister provide the users of services in Cwm Taf University Health Board with reassurance as to the purpose of the enhanced monitoring announced today? 253
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that response, Minister. As your statement acknowledges, since the escalation framework was introduced in 2014, the health board has always been in routine arrangements. And as well as their good financial track record, we've seen many good clinical and care initiatives delivered by the health board. So, while I was aware of the situation surrounding maternity services that we...
Dawn Bowden: This week, in the lead-up to the 2019 Holocaust Memorial Day, I was privileged to join members of the community in Merthyr Tydfil who gathered to mark the completion of the Holocaust memorial garden at the rear of Merthyr Tydfil library. It's one small but important example of how a community, starting out with a grant from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, then with the assistance of several...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I will cut my preamble to the question. I briefly wanted, therefore, Minister, if I could, to focus on one of the four purposes that are set out in the proposed structural changes to the curriculum—that of ensuring that our children are ethical, informed citizens and, particularly, that they're knowledgeable about their culture, community and society in...
