Hefin David: I appreciate the constraint that the Counsel General identifies, but in Plenary on 20 March it was agreed the Welsh Government would make representations to the UK Government in support of the Women Against State Pension Inequality state pension campaigners, many of whom are my constituents and have been in touch directly with me. The Deputy Minister and the Chief Whip also confirmed the...
Siân Gwenllian: ...elections and the principle in place for national elections too is a practical and valuable way of reviving democracy and ensuring that people do feel that their vote counts, safeguarding fair representation for all political views in Wales?
Carwyn Jones: ...questions have been asked, I understand that, and they need answers, and they will get answers. But I do think it's important that those answers are provided as part of a whole picture. It's not right that people should pick out little bits, mention them, and then not give the full context in terms of which answers are given, for example, or the context of what happened some years ago....
Carwyn Jones: ...committed to doing everything it can to reduce the pay gap. Women hold 40 per cent of senior civil service posts in the Welsh Government. Now, of course, the pay arrangements of senior staff are not in the control of the Welsh Government, they're not devolved, but there is a commitment on our part to achieving 50:50 representation across the senior civil service by 2020. So, what measures...
Jayne Bryant: ...and much valued service. If this is taken away, there is a fear that the link that community postmen provide will be lost. Can the Deputy Minister assure me that the Welsh Government will be making representations to Royal Mail to highlight the value it puts on the equal six-day service, ensuring that it does all it can to protect the role of the community posties?
Sioned Williams: .... Our understanding of work as a whole needs to change, and this is achievable, I think. Our acceptance of radically new working practices in such a short period of time shows this. Waged work is not the only sphere that needs to be reimagined, but the opportunity offered by a four-day working week to women would be more effective than the myriad of gender equality reviews and policies...
Jane Dodds: ...Kingdom Nationality and Borders Bill. I hope that, with humility and reflection, there will be a pause on this Bill. We have heard about the moderate shift today from the UK Government, but it is not enough. Prif Weinidog, can I seek your views on the Nationality and Borders Bill and whether you will continue to make representations to the UK Government on the concerns that have been...
Huw Irranca-Davies: .... The Government’s own pilot areas are showing that it is an unmitigated disaster and it is driving young women, but also all people, into poverty. Could I ask the First Minister what further representations he can make to the UK Government? Because the impact in all of our communities is going to be significant.
Paul Davies: ...our schools, and I'm sure that supporting those professionals is also a priority of yours. Now, I've received correspondence from local supply teachers who are deeply worried that many are not being paid the basic recommended minimum rate, as outlined in the supply teaching framework. As you know from my previous representations to you on this matter, supply staff have had a really tough...
Dawn Bowden: ...who trade with the European Union. They depend on supplies that are from and come through the European Union into Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney. Would you agree that as 2020 draws to a close, not only are we faced with a shambolic situation, but also a very uncertain future for many jobs in our communities, because the Prime Minister of the UK lied to the people of this country? And can you...
Mr Neil Hamilton: Well, it would have been up to the Assembly to decide whether the Chair would have been allocated to her. That is not the issue that we are currently debating this afternoon. This is about the allocation of Chairs to groups. That has nothing to do with the individual holder of the Chair. I'll come to David Rowlands in a moment. If we really do belive in respecting minority rights, which is...
Mark Isherwood: ...joined-up approach now. We haven’t got the through-ticketing, which bodies such as Llangollen railway are proposing. And a concern raised with me has been that the bodies have had insufficient representation from tourism and heritage bodies in the region themselves. It’s good that Glandŵr Cymru are on board, but where are all the others? Do you agree with me that we therefore need to...
Angela Burns: It is good to see you back and I know that, like me, you and most of the other Assembly Members here will have received many constituent representations over concerns with littering, dog mess and fly-tipping, and of course it’s vital for public health, and particularly in areas that rely on tourism, that we have clean, safe and pleasant streets to walk in. Pembrokeshire has recently been...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, we work with our local authority colleagues, of course, to make sure that the contribution they can make through their representation at further education, and in the schools that they themselves run, to make sure that the skills agenda is understood and implemented there. It's one of the key things that Government does, Llywydd, to invest in people and to provide them with the...
Helen Mary Jones: ...agree with me that it now seems likely that the solution to this will come from political decisions rather than from any legal ruling. Would this be a timely moment for the Welsh Government to make representations once again to the UK Government on behalf of the women of Wales so affected? It seems to me that, in the aftermath of the COVID crisis, this is particularly pertinent. We of...
Carwyn Jones: ...there and acquiesces a bung to Northern Ireland of £1.67 billion—some of it on health—and he did nothing to represent his country. [Interruption.] He did nothing to represent his country. What representations did he make to the UK Government and his colleagues to demand that Wales should get a Barnett equivalent of that money? Nothing; he’s too scared of them.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Llywydd. Of course, GWLAD is advertised a conversation starter that will encourage discussion about the future of Wales. Now, despite the festival not having taken place yet, you can certainly be proud that it has technically achieved its aim—it is very much a conversation starter now. Not least, this is because of some of the invitations that have been extended to the speakers at...
Dawn Bowden: ...library in 2023-24 and 2024-25. With regard to recommendation 2, again, this refers to a UK Government scheme. The energy bill relief scheme is a UK Government initiative, and we've already made representations to the UK Government around including intensive users, such as swimming pools, within the highest threshold for support. We're working closely with Sport Wales, with the Welsh...
Rebecca Evans: I recall, in response to your representations to the Minister on this particular issue, that she was happy to come to the Rhondda to undertake a visit. I know that she's already been to Rhondda Cynon Taf more widely on two occasions, and Members right across the Government have been visiting and speaking to people who are quite understandably completely distressed by the flooding. I've spoken...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the funding formula is reviewed every year. A group of people with expertise in this field, including representation from local government look, every single year, at the formula. They look at all the component parts of it: demography, geography, economy and social factors and, every year, they bring forward proposals, and governments, in my experience, accept the advice that they...
