Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Llywydd. May I ask for two statements from the Government before the end of term, because there’s no time for discussions or debates now? First of all, what assessment has the Government made of the importance of Euratom in terms of works in Wales? In particular, of course, we have two nuclear sites, but there’s also nuclear waste being stored in sites in Wales, and, of course,...
Mr Simon Thomas: Of course, the viability of rural schools depends so much on their ability to provide a comprehensive curriculum, and to do that to the highest possible educational standards in order to gain the confidence of parents and the wider community. So, Cabinet Secretary, can you add to what you’ve already said about ensuring that rural schools are connected through the highest quality broadband,...
Mr Simon Thomas: 1. Will the Counsel General make a statement on the legal implications for Wales of withdrawing from the 1964 London fisheries convention? OAQ(5)0045(CG)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: I’m grateful to the Counsel General for his usual caution in these matters. However, perhaps I can tempt him by saying that I don’t think there are any legal obligations, but there are strong political obligations for Michael Gove’s decision. My understanding is that, in fact, the London fisheries convention is probably overtaken by our relationship with the common fisheries policy and...
Mr Simon Thomas: 3. What discussions has the Counsel General had regarding the impact that the great repeal Bill will have on Wales? OAQ(5)0044(CG)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Counsel General for his reply. Obviously, when I was tabling this question, I was half hoping we’d have seen the repeal Bill—we’ll get to see it tomorrow, my understanding is. And, if the rumours around the Bill are correct, then what we will see is a replacement of the European Union with some sort of concept of a United Kingdom kind of framework, and we will not, in fact,...
Mr Simon Thomas: Of course, I hope that you will be successful in your meeting tomorrow and that, hopefully, you will use that opportunity to convince the DWP to overturn their decision, especially in the context of moving jobs from the centre of Llanelli, which is going to have a huge economic effect on a town that is fragile economically, as we all know. I’m grateful that you responded to my written...
Mr Simon Thomas: Diolch, Llywydd. I was educated at Caradog’s school in Aberdare. Mae 27 Gorffennaf eleni yn nodi hanner canmlwyddiant dod i rym Deddf yr Iaith Gymraeg 1967. Er nad yw’r Ddeddf bellach mewn grym, wedi ei disodli gan Ddeddf yr Iaith Gymraeg 1993 a Mesur y Gymraeg (Cymru) 2011, mae’r Ddeddf yn arwyddocaol am ddau brif reswm. Yn gyntaf oll, fe ddiddymwyd y ddarpariaeth yn Neddf Cymru a...
Mr Simon Thomas: First Minister, you confirmed on Friday in the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister that the franchise won’t be one where all profits are returned to Government, but one where you have to contract with a private company. So, what steps are you taking, therefore, to ensure that any profits that come from growth and investment made by the Welsh Government in that franchise are...
Mr Simon Thomas: It’s very disappointing in terms of what’s happened in Llanelli, specifically the fact that so many people aren’t able to relocate. But in turning to your response to Lee Waters, your own jobs strategy does talk about the closure of offices too. You talk about reducing the number of offices to some 14 or 15. So, in reality, how are you different to the DWP?
Mr Simon Thomas: Would the First Minister give way? I’m grateful. Just on that point, of course it doesn’t build trust when you don’t meet with Ministers and don’t have a JMC and so forth. But even if this Bill did have a sunset clause inserted into the devolved parts of it, would that be sufficient, in his view, to build that trust?
Mr Simon Thomas: About a year ago—a year ago next week—I took part in a debate on the Country Land and Business Association stand in the Royal Welsh Show with the leader of UKIP, Neil Hamilton, where I set out very clearly that Plaid Cymru does agree with the need for UK frameworks as we leave the European Union, and wanted to work in building up those frameworks for agriculture, fisheries and for the...
Mr Simon Thomas: Diolch, Cadeirydd, ac mae’n bleser gen i siarad ar ran y Pwyllgor Cyllid yn fyr iawn, jest i amlinellu goblygiadau ariannol y Bil Diddymu'r Hawl i Brynu a Hawliau Cysylltiedig (Cymru). Bydd y Pwyllgor Cyllid am dynnu sylw’r Cynulliad yn benodol at yr amrywiaeth eang yn y ffigurau yn yr asesiad effaith rheoleiddiol—yr RIA—wrth amcangyfrif y costau neu’r manteision posibl a allai...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Llywydd. And, generally, the Finance Committee was content with the proposals, and noted that the allocations in this supplementary budget were relatively small. However, the committee welcomed the opportunity to discuss the changes with the Cabinet Secretary, particularly his commitment to continuing to use the supplementary budget process. In terms of the social care, health,...
Mr Simon Thomas: Will you take an intervention?
Mr Simon Thomas: I’ll just bring the Member some news of great joy: there’ll be even more time to scrutinise the draft budget in the autumn, extending the period from five weeks to eight weeks. So, I hope that helps.
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Llywydd. The Cabinet Secretary will be aware that publishing books is very important in the west of Wales, and I declare an interest, as is in the register of interests, as my wife and my niece work in this area. So, I’d like to ask him about publishing but starting by paying tribute, if I may, to Tony Bianchi, a gentleman who passed away some three weeks ago, who was from...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I am pleased to be making this statement today, to share the lessons we learnt from our recent visit to Edinburgh to discuss the Scottish experience of fiscal reform. During our visit, we met with representatives from the Finance and Constitution Committee of the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Fiscal Commission, and Revenue Scotland. One...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank Nick Ramsay. Can I assure him that I took the train back to Aberystwyth, so I’m sure I suffered alongside him, and a very pleasant journey it was as well? I think the key point that he was making around the role that the Finance Committee can play, and one of the reasons, he’ll be aware, that I wanted to bring this statement to the Chamber, was that, in the Finance Committee, we...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Steffan Lewis. First of all, just on that final point, I agree entirely that we need more timely and more appropriate data for Wales, that is more robust, in order to make some of the decisions that we ask the Government to make and then, in turn, the Assembly to approve. I hope that the process that the Government has commissioned—that Bangor University will start on that. He...
