Laura Anne Jones: Minister, thank you for your statement today. We in the Welsh Conservatives are supportive of the aims and ambitions of the statement, as we all want to see a more digitally adept Wales. And we all recognise that there are major social and financial benefits to be gained from enriching the digital skills of Wales. However, I do have a few concerns about how we ensure that no-one misses out on...
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you. I find myself in complete agreement with the Member from Islwyn and the Minister on this one. Public libraries provide positive outcomes for people and communities in a variety of ways, beyond simply providing access to books, as you’ve already outlined. They contribute to the formation of human capital and maintenance of mental and physical well-being, social inclusivity and...
Laura Anne Jones: 3. What is the Welsh Government doing to attract young people into careers in farming and agriculture? OQ59144
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you, Minister. As you know, farming is the foundation upon which the £6 billion Welsh food and drink supply chain is built. They're the guardians of our environment and the sector employs 17 per cent of the Welsh workforce. Recent statistics from Qualifications Wales have shown that there has been a 14 per cent decrease in the vocational qualification certificates awarded in the...
Laura Anne Jones: First Minister, after your Government's economically damaging new policy on roads, it's becoming clearer than ever before that we need to promote and have functioning sustainable travel in place, yet we are seeing bus services cut in reality, as my fellow Member for South Wales East has just outlined, and rail services that have become a laughing stock, as I'm sure north Wales Members will...
Laura Anne Jones: Diolch. Thank you, Minister, and Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus. I just wanted to just ask you about—. Everyone here, I think, wants to see Welsh language spoken more across Wales, but I'm wondering how we do that when we have a teacher retention and recruitment crisis at the moment, which also means that we can't attract those Welsh-speaking, core-subject-teaching teachers into our Welsh-medium...
Laura Anne Jones: What discussions has the Minister had with the Future Generations Commissioner about how they spend taxpayers' money allocated to them by the Welsh Government?
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you. I think I wasn't down to speak, but I will speak, because I think it's very important that I do speak on education. I can't believe that Plaid Cymru just stood up and said that they were going to support a budget that is, in real terms, cutting education—cutting education by £6.5 million in real terms. That is disgraceful. This Government has a missed opportunity with this...
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you. And whose fault do you think it is that the Welsh Government are cutting the education budget in cash, in real terms? Do you think it's Brexit, or is it a political decision? It's clearly a political decision. You're showing Wales today that the priority of this Labour Government is not to look after the children and young people of Wales.
Laura Anne Jones: Will the Minister acknowledge that there is a real-terms and cash cut in education in your budget this year? And will you also acknowledge that, with you putting the money that is designated for education not solely into the education budget but putting it into local government, there is absolutely no guarantee, even though you say that local government leaders say that they have good...
Laura Anne Jones: 9. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to increase apprenticeship opportunities? OQ59224
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you, Minister. In Wales, degree apprenticeships are still in their pilot phase, and still only available in IT, engineering and advanced manufacturing. In Scotland, they offer far more. In England, they offer over 100 degree apprenticeships. This Government are really letting learners down that want to stay in Wales. Degree apprenticeships at NVQ level 7 still haven't been introduced,...
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you, Minister, and we welcome that expansion of it, because at the moment, there is a postcode lottery when it comes to Flying Start, and there are severe pockets of deprivation in rural areas that are seen as affluent, such as Monmouthshire, and that can't be good when there are families in need missing out, and I'm sure that you would agree with that, Minister. So, will that programme...
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you to Natasha Asghar for bringing this debate to the Senedd today in the name of Darren Millar. I’ve said it before—and many of my colleagues have, multiple times—that a decent road and transport infrastructure is the absolute key to a vibrant economy. And you’d think that was an obvious statement to make, yet we have a Government that is insistent on blocking Wales’s...
Laura Anne Jones: 1. What consideration did the Welsh Government give to the Scottish gender recognition reform Bill when creating the 'LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales'? OQ59239
Laura Anne Jones: First Minister, last month, you stated your intention to copy the Scottish self-ID Bill with the release of your LGBTQ+ action plan, which intends to make it easier for biological males to enter women-only spaces, push gender ideology in schools, and unfairness in sport. First Minister, there was outrage in Scotland at the gender recognition reform Bill, with polling consistently showing that...
Laura Anne Jones: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, since having my education shadow portfolio, I've undertaken a tour of schools across Wales, and resoundingly, the No. 1 concern that they raise with me is ALN, additional learning needs. Reform was needed and no-one disagrees with that, but there are significant concerns about the reality of what is now happening in schools on the ground....
Laura Anne Jones: Thank you, Minister. We welcome a national approach on this, as we need to absolutely ensure that school budgets have the money they need in the meantime, before this is sorted, to adapt to these extra pressures that are put upon them. Minister, you'll be aware that the Welsh Government commissioned a resource for sex education in Wales. This ended up with AGENDA being created and used by...
Laura Anne Jones: Minister, it's very easy—this AGENDA document, in black and white, has the Welsh Government logo on it and it was commissioned by yourself and your predecessor welcomed it. I've read out some of the things that were included, verbatim, in that document, which says sex switching, which we know to be factually incorrect. It says children as young as two or three know if they're trans. That is...
Laura Anne Jones: What steps is the Welsh Government taking to make transport for people who are learning at higher education institutions more accessible and affordable?
