John Griffiths: Minister, would you agree with me that it's been very frustrating over the years of Conservative Governments at Westminster to see the progressive policies of Welsh Government undermined by the measures taken at Westminster, and that the more we can pull down powers to Wales, including taxation powers, the better position the Welsh Government will be in to respond to what the Welsh people...
John Griffiths: Minister, it is good to see so many Members of the Senedd serving as species champions and working with wildlife groups. I'm the species champion for the water vole, which I'm pleased to say is thriving on the Gwent levels, and the Gwent levels themselves help us achieve biodiversity. As you know, Minister, I'm chairing a Gwent levels working group to look at how we enhance and better protect...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer. I too would like to thank the staff of the committee and all the witnesses who gave us evidence. It was quite a substantial piece of work, and it's produced, I think, an important and substantial report. I'd like to refer to recommendation 6 as well, and the need for a music strategy, which as the recommendation states, would be very beneficial...
John Griffiths: First Minister, there's a great deal of concern in Wales about the effect on children and young people of the pandemic and the restrictions, which I know you very much share. I very much agree with you in terms of the priority of getting our children back to school as quickly as possible, possibly starting with foundation phase children. Would you also agree that we need to get our young...
John Griffiths: Minister, I was at a meeting last night in Community House in the Maindee area of Newport East, which has a number of ethnic minority communities regularly involved in its activities. There was a presentation on the vaccination programme, around the reluctance of some black and ethnic minority communities to take part. One of the major issues was that the presentation that we had from public...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I'm speaking today in my capacity as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, and we published our report on the draft budget last week. When I spoke last year in the draft budget debate, or rather when I last spoke on this draft budget for this financial year, I focused on the importance of the budget allocations to the housing support grant...
John Griffiths: This week marks UK Student Volunteering Week. Entering its twenty-first year, it aims to celebrate the impact of student volunteers and encourage students to engage in civic life. Today, as chair of the all-party group on further education, I'd like to share a story brought to my attention by ColegauCymru—the story of one former Grŵp Llandrillo Menai learner. Nineteen-year-old Tirion...
John Griffiths: Minister, the vaccine roll-out is proceeding very effectively and efficiently, which we're all very grateful for, but, obviously, we need a very good take-up of the vaccine if we are going to have Wales as protected as we would like it to be. It is good, generally, but there are some gaps, and you've referred already to black and ethnic minorities, for example. I know there's emerging...
John Griffiths: Minister, we know that the pandemic has accelerated pre-existing trends that make it very difficult for our town and city centres to thrive. There are far too many empty shops, including large empty shops such as the Debenhams store in Newport at the moment, and we know that we need to continue our efforts to diversify, repurpose and reinvigorate those city-centre buildings. You will know,...
John Griffiths: 5. What work is being done by the Welsh Government during the pandemic in partnership with local health boards, councils and charities to support those living with substance misuse? OQ56328
John Griffiths: Organisations like Kaleidoscope, working as part of the Gwent drug and alcohol project, are concerned at the difficulties in ensuring good vaccination take-up amongst service users. Their front-line workers have very strong relationships of trust with those service users. They're in regular contact with them and understand the difficulties of chaotic lifestyles. Minister, would you agree that...
John Griffiths: 3. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to fully realise the economic potential of Newport? OQ56414
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, First Minister. The steel industry remains a very important part of Newport's economy, with Tata Steel at Llanwern, for example, and also, of course, Liberty Steel at Uskmouth. We know, First Minister, that if the UK as a whole is going to have the sort of industrial future it deserves, steel must play an important part in that as a strategic sector. And we also know that...
John Griffiths: What further steps will the Welsh Government take to increase the number of green areas in cities and towns across Wales?
John Griffiths: I hadn't actually submitted my name for this item, Llywydd.
John Griffiths: We've heard already, Minister, how Burns offers a blueprint for the sort of integrated transport system that we need to move to, and I'm very keen on that blueprint. I'm very keen on the new rail stations that are proposed in Newport East, such as the walkway station at Magor, which I know you're familiar with and is very innovative, and also at Somerton and Llanwern. We can have a bus...
John Griffiths: I very much welcome the action plan, Minister, and I very much take the point that you've made, and that so many of the stakeholders have made, consistently over a period of time, that there's been a lot of identification of problems, but not nearly enough action to deal with them, and I think that's why an action plan is so welcome. As you say, the pandemic has put the issues, the...
John Griffiths: What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that sport and physical activity play a full role in helping Wales through and beyond the pandemic?
John Griffiths: 3. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to tackle health inequalities in Wales? OQ56499
John Griffiths: Minister, health inequalities in the UK and Wales are very, very concerning. Men in the most deprived communities live, on average, 10 years less than those in the least deprived, and, for women, the difference is almost eight years. And in terms of healthy years of life, the difference is almost 19 years, and that applies to both genders. So, with that sort of background, that's why the...
