David Rowlands: I thank you for that answer, leader of the house. It has been stated by Welsh Women's Aid that victims of domestic abuse cannot leave the abusive environment because they cannot afford to do so. With the latest figures showing cases of domestic abuse in Wales rising by 23 per cent, can the leader of the house give us an indication as to the support available to victims who are caught in such...
David Rowlands: Again, I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that, and I do acknowledge the many interventions now taking place with regard to domestic abuse. But I'm sure you'll agree with me that refuges are a key element in getting victims out of abusive situations. What will the Welsh Government do to ensure that refuges in Wales are kept open? And if funding is channelled through local authorities in...
David Rowlands: In the committee's scrutiny on the impact of the active travel Act, which, of course, included consultation with a whole range of stakeholders, a number of failures were identified. Primarily, it was noted that in most areas it had not resulted in people taking up either walking or cycling, and in some scenarios we have seen a decline in active travel participation, most notably amongst...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I start by saying that I cannot support any of the amendments tabled to this motion, firstly because each one is prefaced by that asinine proposition, 'Delete all', meaning of course that they would delete all of my submissions—a patently absurd stance? But also because none of the substitutions address the main thrust of my argument, which is the environmental...
David Rowlands: What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to the direct funding of schools, as opposed to the current process of funding through local authorities?
David Rowlands: Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I have congratulated the Government on Cardiff Airport several times in the past, but I feel compelled to bring to your attention and, therefore, hopefully to a wider audience, a facility offered by the airport under its hidden disabilities facility, which prioritises people with such disabilities. My comments are prompted by information I received about a...
David Rowlands: Thank you very much for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I move quite a way away from Cardiff Airport with my next question. It has been brought to my attention, Cabinet Secretary, that the public transport users of the Trevethin area of Pontypool are virtually cut off from 7.30 at night. This appears to be the last bus taking people from the town centre to this estate. There is, of course, an...
David Rowlands: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that very positive answer. Can I now turn, Cabinet Secretary, to project scrutiny? As Cabinet Secretary, you've initiated a number of projects and initiatives designed to deliver on the economic performance of Wales. What is of concern is that many of these do not appear to have specific timelines or targets against which progress can be evaluated. Surely,...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. I’m pleased to introduce this debate on a petition that seeks to protect the provision of accident and emergency services at Withybush District General Hospital in Pembrokeshire. This is a major petition, both in terms of its importance to people in the local community and the number of signatures gathered. In total, the petition received 40,045 signatures. I...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I shall endeavour—. First of all, I shall thank all those who've taken part in this debate, and, clearly, there are some very serious passions involved with regard to this debate, so I'm going to take a little time and try to repeat some of the things that people have been saying. First of all, Paul Davies asked the Cabinet Secretary to intervene and oppose the...
David Rowlands: I'm sure Members will be pleased to hear that my dissertation will be short and to the point. It is a well-recognised fact that organisations with a large pay gap between the highest and lowest workers experience more sickness absence and staff turnover than those with more equitable pay differentials. Exaggerated pay gaps also impede the recruitment of staff, particularly to middle...
David Rowlands: Will the Member take an intervention?
David Rowlands: Thank you. I don’t think that in any way you have addressed the whole thrust of this debate at all. You’ve made it a tirade against the Tory Government. You’ve not addressed the fact of what I’m trying to point out, which is that the Labour Government are quite happy to allow this huge disparity of wage increases to carry on. I’ve pointed out the figures. You haven’t addressed...
David Rowlands: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today and for some of the positive initiatives he outlines? I feel reasonably qualified to take part in this debate, and perhaps here I should declare an interest. Many of the key concerns surrounding older people are identified in their ability to deal with statutory authorities on matters such as financial worries, housing, health, crime...
David Rowlands: 3. What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to changing planning laws in order to deal with the condition of empty shops in our towns? OAQ52658
David Rowlands: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. But, Cabinet Secretary, during a seminar given by the chief planning officer of Wales, a question was asked of him as to whether there were planning laws that would allow local authorities to force owners to maintain the cosmetic appearance of empty commercial premises. This would, of course, enhance the appearance of town centres, perhaps...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to open this important debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. The circumstances behind the petition that we are discussing today have been extremely moving for all the members of the committee. The petition was submitted by the family of Peter Baldwin. Peter, who was 13 and from Cardiff, tragically died in January 2015 from the effects of undiagnosed...
David Rowlands: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition under which the pancreas does not produce insulin. The body requires insulin in order to convert glucose from food into energy and, without it, that glucose remains in the bloodstream leading to high blood sugar levels. Though type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, it is most commonly diagnosed under the age of 15. There are approximately 1,400...
David Rowlands: In our report on this petition we have made 10 recommendations to the Welsh Government. We believe these would assist the timely diagnosis and treatment of type 1 diabetes. The committee welcomes the fact that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services has accepted, at least in principle, all of our recommendations. We hope this indicates a shared commitment to making progress in...
David Rowlands: First of all, can I thank all the Members for their contributions? I must say that there is one theme that ran throughout each of your contributions and that's the availability of the equipment in order to be able to test for type 1 diabetes. Dai Lloyd brought his considerable experience, obviously, as a GP, to the debate and spoke of the necessity to test every child who presents with some...
