David Rees: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I've got a quote from the second paragraph: 'Prisons in Wales are performing less well than prisons in England on a range of prison safety measures. The number of recorded self-harm incidents and prison assaults in Wales has increased at a higher rate than...in England.' In fact HMP Parc had more incidents than any other prison in England and...
David Rees: I thank the Member for taking the intervention. I accept there are schools that are in some of the conditions you're talking about, and they should be on either band A or band B of the twenty-first century schools programme, but do you also accept the fact that there are brand-new schools being built? I've got three comprehensives in my own constituency, plus two new primaries, which are...
David Rees: Cabinet Secretary, the Cabinet Secretary for health, well-being and sport actually issued a written statement outlining the decision to change the boundaries for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cwm Taf health boards. This has some important consequences for my constituents and Neath Port Talbot Hospital, which is serviced by clinicians from the Bridgend area, and also, many...
David Rees: Can I start by perhaps reminding people I think, unfortunately, the UK will be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019 because Theresa May will hang on to power and will undoubtedly take us out, because she's made that abundantly clear? But the question is on what terms we leave, and that's the biggest question for all of us in our political careers, I think, coming ahead. As Chair of the External...
David Rees: I'll come on to this, because it's a very interesting point. It's clear to me that the current Government has no negotiating skills whatsoever, is actually going into the negotiations not understanding that negotiation is a two-way process, and you have to understand both sides' arguments and where both sides wish to get to. It is clear that the UK Government doesn't understand that and is...
David Rees: Members might be aware that I should be speaking in this debate as the constituency representative of what was only a month ago labelled the most polluted town in the UK. I'd like to put on record that they got it wrong, and that the figure that they quoted of 18 mg/cu m in fact should've been 9.6 mg/cu m, which brings us down to the average level and hitting the limits. So, I'll make sure...
David Rees: Yes.
David Rees: I fully agree that the technology to look at, not just the hydrogen but the recycling of some of the waste gases released, and the emissions as a consequence of that, and how you can do some carbon capture on the stacks and those issues—these are technologies that we are advancing and we need to build upon them. We need to encourage people like Tata to actually invest in that research as...
David Rees: Will you take an intervention on that point?
David Rees: I accept that point, but I think it's also fair to accept that the roads are far more dangerous than they were when you and I were going to school, and drivers themselves are not always aware of what is on the pavements today. So, it's not just one, it's a combination of things.
David Rees: Will you take an intervention?
David Rees: I very much appreciate you taking an intervention, and I declare on record that my wife is a member of NHS staff. Can you therefore tell the Welsh NHS staff when they will have that increase and what it will be paid for by? Because, at the moment, your own Government in London is saying, 'Tax rises'. That's it—full stop. We have no indication as to when it's going to come or the details of...
David Rees: What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services in relation to the funding formula used to allocate monies to health boards?
David Rees: 3. What proposals does the Welsh Government have for improving public transport in areas that will not be served by the south Wales metro? OAQ52472
David Rees: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. As you are aware, there are many valleys that are not going to be served by the south Wales metro, including the Afan valley. I've received a petition from residents in the Afan valley concerned about bus services in the Afan valley and the reduction in services. In fact, we have Abergwynfi and Blaengwynfi served every two hours, and so is...
David Rees: Leader of the house, I'd like to ask for three statements this afternoon, please. I'll do the two easy ones first. The Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services yesterday issued a statement regarding the concordat that the Welsh Government has reached with the Ministry of Justice. Reading through the concordat, it actually describes mainly functions, but it doesn't rule out...
David Rees: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I won't. Can I, first of all, thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement this afternoon? It gives me an opportunity to put on record my thanks and appreciation to all the NHS staff who have worked over those 70 years and who are still working and will be working in the years ahead of us. Again I put on record, Deputy Presiding Officer, that my wife...
David Rees: I'd like to thank the Counsel General for his statement. It's very interesting to understand the position for that need to intervene, and I fully support your points. I understand the need to separate the way in which this institution has actually decided upon a consent, based upon the agreement and the amendments, and the Scottish Parliament, as Simon Thomas quite rightly pointed out, took...
David Rees: Will he give way?
David Rees: I do thank the Member for giving way, and I appreciate what he just said about UKIP's position. Are you therefore as hugely disappointed as I am that your former leader, Nigel Farage, attended one of the 42 meetings of the committee that dealt with fisheries?
