Andrew RT Davies: As I said, regrettably, over the 20 years, we've seen that massive gap open up between a Scottish worker and a Welsh worker, and obviously, sadly, Wales stay at the bottom of the league table when it comes to wages. I have to say the answer you gave me doesn't give me much confidence that there is going to be that big change by, certainly, the early 2020s, if not the mid 2020s. That money...
Andrew RT Davies: I wish I could join you in being positive about those figures, First Minister. As David Melding pointed out, we need 12,000 houses per year to meet the demand. As I pointed out, the figures—not my figures, the industry figures—show a 10 per cent decline in house building last year. I've indicated about wage restraint here in Wales. After 20 years of Labour in Government, we are the...
Andrew RT Davies: 8. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government policy for supporting rural schools in South Wales Central? OAQ52019
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. The formula that underpins funding of schools, and in particular rural schools, is based on the sparsity element of the census of 1991. The special education formula was last reviewed in 2006 and the primary and secondary school formula was last updated in 2003, First Minister. By any stretch of the imagination, those are dates that have long since...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, twenty-first century schools has offered the opportunity for local authorities to work with Government in redeveloping their school estate. You may or may not be familiar with the closure plans for a small rural school in the Vale of Glamorgan, Llancarfan school, and relocating to a new site in the village of Rhoose. One of the concerns—
Andrew RT Davies: South Wales Central area—twenty-first century schools. I thought Cardiff was part of South Wales Central. Sorry, Presiding Officer.
Andrew RT Davies: It is part of South Wales Central.
Andrew RT Davies: I withdraw the question, then.
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I will stick to the subject. As a huge supporter of breastfeeding, having four children who were all breastfed, I can see the benefits of that. But, sadly, many new mothers give up after a short period of time and cite a lack of support, or a perceived lack of support, that they might have had from a designated midwife, because of pressure on community and...
Andrew RT Davies: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the recruitment and retention of staff within the Welsh NHS? OAQ52018
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that answer. You'd be aware of the considerable residential developments that are going on around the city of Cardiff, and in particular I draw your attention to the developments in the west of the city, where surgeries and practices have issued notices to say they are unable to take on more patients because they haven't been allowed any more resources...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Welsh Government guidance for supporting and maintaining rural primary schools in South Wales Central?
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Leader of the house, could you give me an assessment of what the life choices are of young people here in Wales?
Andrew RT Davies: Well, Leader of the house, when it comes to education, many of the things that can be done to improve life chances for young people are within the gift of the Welsh Government, and, sadly, the achievement has been hindered by some of the policies that have been brought forward by previous Labour Governments. But in the field of dyslexia, there's a real poverty of ambition in trying to improve...
Andrew RT Davies: I clearly identified how the gap is widening and that clearly is unacceptable, especially over the last two to three years, where, in English and science in particular, there's been a real deterioration. Over the border in England, they've introduced phonics as a policy area to improve the ability for children to improve their reading. Since 2011, 147,000 more six-year-olds are benefiting...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans for reorganising local government?
Andrew RT Davies: Cabinet Secretary, I think everyone supports the roll-out of the metro system, and it seems to be that at every pinchpoint on the transport network—certainly, in South Wales Central—when a complaint or issue is raised it's referred to as, 'Well, don't worry the metro system is coming.' Can you give us a firm timeline as to when motorists and people who need transport to get into work or...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, last week, we had the report into Tawel Fan up in north Wales, and many Members have had the weekend to digest the contents of that report. One of the startling conclusions of the report was the mishandling of the creation of Betsi as a health board for north Wales. It talked of lines of accountability that were impossible to track; a rift...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, I appreciate your answer, but, really, these findings in the report point clearly to that reorganisation as being the starting point of many of the problems that accumulated in the events on the Tawel Fan ward. I have asked you whether you have any regrets about that reorganisation and, if you had your time again, would you do that reorganisation differently? When you have...
Andrew RT Davies: I regret that you couldn't identify the flaws that the report identified as being at the heart of the reorganisation that happened in 2009. The language that I used was directly taken from the report, and, obviously, that is what the investigations have unearthed. But, moving on, First Minister, the health board has now been in special measures for three years—or nearly three years, should...
