Mr Neil Hamilton: I think I’ve taken one contribution. We’ve only got four minutes to speak, so, regrettably, although I’d like to give way, I don’t think I can. Obviously, I accept point 3 of Plaid Cymru’s motion. I strongly believe that every single penny of what Brussels currently spends in Wales should be replicated by a UK Government promise, and I don’t think anybody who has the interests of...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. It’s clear now that the failure of the Prime Minister’s cynical, opportunist snap election gamble has thrown the whole Brexit negotiating process into confusion, perhaps exacerbated by the fact that she’s appointed 16 Remainers to her Cabinet of 23. And, in particular, this throws perhaps more into question than previously the nature of our border controls post...
Mr Neil Hamilton: I read, of course, the Government’s White Paper on Brexit, which, effectively, isn’t in favour of border controls at all in any meaningful sense. My interest in this is on the impact of unskilled and semi-skilled labour being imported in uncontrollable numbers and the effect that that has upon working class wages. Now, the Bank of England has published a substantial report on ‘The...
Mr Neil Hamilton: I notice that the First Minister neatly sidesteps the question. UKIP did actually support the introduction of the minimum wage, and, certainly, we support policing it effectively, because the law of the land should be obeyed. And it’s no answer to the problem of wage compression to say that we will take strong action against employers who are breaking the law. What is of more concern is...
Mr Neil Hamilton: 3. What progress has been made towards Wales becoming a no cold calling nation? OAQ(5)0655(FM)
Mr Neil Hamilton: I thank the First Minister for that reply. I don’t know whether he is aware of a poll that is being conducted by the debt charity called StepChange. This has discovered that 59 per cent of people report having received one cold call a week, and 8 per cent have had more than one call per day. And one of the principle concerns about this is these calls offering high-cost credit. About a...
Mr Neil Hamilton: It’s the misfortunate of somebody who comes this low in the proceedings that most of the intelligent questions have been asked already, but I’ll try and till a new furrow. I broadly welcome the statement from the Cabinet Secretary, although I must say some of the language doesn’t seem to bear the normal professorial detachment with which the Cabinet Secretary has added so much lustre to...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Well, Llywydd, I was intending to begin my remarks by saying that I agree with everything that’s been said hitherto, but I’m afraid that Dai Lloyd’s lapse into European controversy just a couple of minutes ago precludes me from doing that, sadly. It’s one of the very few disagreements that we have on the committee. Bethan Jenkins began her speech earlier on, on autism, by making an...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. I’m sure the First Minister, like me, is looking on with envy at the Democratic Unionists in Northern Ireland using their muscle in the House of Commons to extort the best possible deal in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland. And instead of refighting the last war, as the leader of Plaid Cymru seems intent on doing, wouldn’t it be better for Plaid...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Well, I’m sure we’ll explore this point further later on this afternoon in the statement on the Government’s paper on Brexit. I want to move to another issue. As a result of the dreadful fire in Kensington and the terrible loss of life that was suffered there, is it not rather undesirable for the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, to try to weaponise this as an issue and to...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Well, it’s very far from a cheap political point. I was quoting from one of our national newspapers—[Interruption.]—where the headline is ‘Let inferno victims seize empty homes, says Corbyn’. He’s the one who said it. I have no objection, obviously, to Jeremy Corbyn articulating the views of people, particularly those of his constituents. We all do that. But in these highly...
Mr Neil Hamilton: 6. Will the First Minister make a statement on oncology provision in Mid and West Wales? OAQ(5)0668(FM)
Mr Neil Hamilton: I thank the First Minister for that reply. Will he join me in congratulating Elly Neville who’s aged nine years old and has raised £109,500 for the support of work in ward 10 in Withybush hospital, where her father was treated for cancer? Although I acknowledge that the Welsh Government has been doing a great deal to try to reduce waiting times in hospitals for cancer treatment, we’re...
Mr Neil Hamilton: I welcome the statement today. In particular, I welcome the tone that the First Minister has adopted, which I think is both realistic and reasonable and all the more persuasive for that. I’m glad that he’s moved on from the referendum in the last 12 months, in marked contradistinction to the tone that we heard from the leader of Plaid Cymru earlier on today. That’s the way, I think, to...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Well, Simon Thomas lamented at the start of his remarks that there weren’t many questions left to be asked and now there are even fewer, but I would like to join everyone else in welcoming this statement and actually congratulating the Cabinet Secretary on her willingness to engage with farmers and to listen to all views, and for the flexibility of her approach. I do think that this...
Mr Neil Hamilton: I nominate David Rowlands.
Mr Neil Hamilton: Last Saturday, the 1st Battalion the Irish Guards trooped their regimental colour before Her Majesty the Queen for the monarch’s official birthday parade. Crowds lined the Mall to catch a glimpse of the sovereign’s escort whilst millions watched worldwide, marvelling at the military precision of the spectacle and reflecting on Her Majesty’s continuing lifelong service to the nation at...
Mr Neil Hamilton: From looking around the Chamber today, I think we’re suffering—apart from Plaid Cymru and UKIP—with Brexit weariness. At least we’re here to engage in the argument. We have no difficulty, of course, in supporting Plaid Cymru on the first two points of this motion. As I’ve said many, many times before, the Brexit process should not in any way be used to undermine or to row back on...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Yes, sure.
Mr Neil Hamilton: I said that a moment ago. To carry on debating on the basis that the United Kingdom has the slightest possibility of adopting this policy is a complete and utter waste of time and actually undermines the good points that we could make. That is the burden of what I want to say in this debate. The idea that single market membership, however defined, is going to be a runner is, again, not...
