David Rowlands: Can I take this opportunity to congratulate the First Minister on his appointment and I for one look forward to the dry wit you often display in your responses, even if I've been the recipient of some of the more barbed ones. Turning to my question:
David Rowlands: 4. What are the First Minister's priorities for the Welsh economy? OAQ53136
David Rowlands: Whilst all of us acknowledge the importance of the public sector in the delivery of the services we have all become accustomed to, almost every in-depth study of the Welsh economy identifies the fact that Wales is far too reliant on job creation and the generation of economic wealth from this sector. Could the First Minister please outline the economic strategies he intends to put in place to...
David Rowlands: Not being a member of the committee, I was not involved in the deliberations leading to this report, but I would like to thank the Finance Committee for their carefully-thought-out report on the cost of caring for an ageing population. Advances in health and social care enable all of us to live longer and healthier lives. Coupled with an increase in population, it is not surprising that the...
David Rowlands: Well, echoing some of the words of Rhun ap Iorwerth, during our evidence sessions on the state of the roads in Wales, many, if not all, stakeholders were adamant that there was a need for longer strategic planning, and this could only be achieved by long-term budget proposals from the Welsh Government, most advocating this be at least for a term of five years. It is therefore regrettable that...
David Rowlands: What consideration has the Minister given to funding schools directly?
David Rowlands: Diolch, Llywydd. I first met Steffan at a hustings in Blaenau Gwent during the last Assembly elections, but it was obvious to me at that time that he was an exceptionally gifted person. Over his two and a half years in the Assembly, I believe we have all witnessed his special capabilities, and I know that all in this Chamber will agree with me that we have lost one of our most able AMs. On a...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Llywydd. And can I also congratulate the Minister on being retained in his Cabinet position? The First Minister stood in this Chamber—sorry. The previous First Minister stood in this Chamber and proclaimed that unemployment in Wales was below the UK average at 3.8 per cent. However, the latest figure is now running at 4.2 per cent, which is above the UK average. Does the Minister...
David Rowlands: I thank the Minister for that answer. Of course, as with all statistics, the devil is in the detail. For instance, we find that this unemployment statistic includes as employed those on the iniquitous zero-hours contracts. And another factor not addressed is the increase in the number of people in our border areas, particularly in South Wales East and the east of north Wales who, although...
David Rowlands: I thank the Minister for that clarification. The latest projections for post-Brexit Britain tell us that the UK will leapfrog France and become the sixth biggest economy in the world and is likely to remain there for at least a decade. Can the Minister assure us that he and this Government will do all that they can to ensure that Wales will not miss out on this unique opportunity to exploit...
David Rowlands: I feel I have to rise in defence of the magistrates. Whilst we acknowledge that the Welsh Government has little power to influence such statistics, does the First Minister agree with me that there are strict guidelines laid down for sitting magistrates and judges as to the sentencing options? Incidentally, magistrates deal with 95 per cent of all criminal cases. Magistrates also have to refer...
David Rowlands: First, can I start by saying that it is encouraging to see the contingency plans outlined by the Cabinet Secretary—sorry, the Cabinet Minister—in response to a ‘no deal’ Brexit? Because what has come out of the referendum issue is that politicians have spent an enormous amount of time arguing against the decision of the British people and very little time in preparing for our future...
David Rowlands: On 10 January 1879, three columns of British soldiers crossed the Buffalo river into Zululand, South Africa, leaving some 1,800 soldiers of the 24th Regiment of Foot in camp at Isandlwana. On 22 January, the forces of Zulu King Cetshwayo, numbering some 20,000, encircled the British camp. The following battle resulted in one of the worst defeats ever recorded by the British army. Over 1,300...
David Rowlands: Well, I feel obviously, given my age, I should declare an interest at this point. [Laughter.] While our rights should not change as we grow older, older people often face negative attitudes and age discrimination, in particular, in access to healthcare, employment, goods and services, information and education. Older people also face increasing barriers to their participation, become more...
David Rowlands: The Assembly has a secure undercover facility for the storage of bicycles. We currently provide storage for 69 bikes, with further capacity planned for this year. In addition, there are publicly accessible racks outside Tŷ Hywel for use by visitors. We also provide showers, lockers and tumble-dryer facilities for cyclists to use.
David Rowlands: We are, of course, keen to expand the use of bicycle transport for work. In keeping with this, we are planning, as I said, to introduce extra car parking spaces this year—[Interruption.] I'm sorry—
David Rowlands: Of course, it will require a much more expansive approach to cycle provision. In order to do that, we will be, obviously, looking at the possibility of taking out car parking spaces at some time in the future. Obviously, we're hoping that that won't impact on those people using cars because, hopefully, they will be using bikes and therefore, obviously, the necessity for those car parking...
David Rowlands: Yes. The level of food waste generated on the Assembly estate increased slightly from 4.23 tonnes at the end of 2017 to 4.59 tonnes at the end of 2018. Obviously, in operating a catering service, food waste will never be totally eliminated, however our contractor Charlton House is very proactive and has introduced a range of initiatives, including menu planning around weekly demand, batch...
David Rowlands: Well, the Assembly Member for Cardiff North is absolutely right in saying that the source of food waste with hospitality menus—although it's calculated on a per head basis, consumption of the food provided is strictly down to those attending, of course. So, there is very little Charlton House can do to reuse any of the leftover food items. Stricter hygiene rules mean most items cannot be...
David Rowlands: There are many actions taken by the Welsh Government that we in UKIP would criticise. However, we feel we have a duty to the people of Wales to support the Welsh Government where we feel their actions have largely been correct. The birth of the Transport for Wales rail franchise in October last year was a pivotal moment for the future of public transport for Wales. The previous operator's...
