Joyce Watson: Acting.
Joyce Watson: Thank you. I’d now like to call on the Cabinet Secretary for Education to reply to the debate—Kirsty Williams.
Joyce Watson: That brings today’s proceedings to a close.
Joyce Watson: I’m grateful to the Members for bringing this debate here today. I was unable last week to attend the briefing that was given by the British Veterinary Association. However, I did send a representative and I have read the notes very closely. As you will all be aware, I have always approached this subject from an evidence-based position, and I am going to move straight on to the subject of...
Joyce Watson: Will you take an intervention, Mark?
Joyce Watson: Thank you for taking an intervention. Is there any evidence at all that once badgers are culled that they’ve actually tested those that were infected and those who not infected by bTB? Because, if you’re talking about getting a rounded picture, that would also need to be done.
Joyce Watson: I’m somewhat surprised that you get up and talk about what’s going to happen for farming when you, your party, actually wanted exit from the EU. You’ve got that. What I would like you to say is: what did you think was coming next? Because you never said it. You campaigned on a platform of hatred, and that is exactly what you did, and you had no idea of what was coming next.
Joyce Watson: Will you take an intervention?
Joyce Watson: Will the First Minister provide an update on the Nest scheme?
Joyce Watson: Will you take an intervention?
Joyce Watson: Would the Member give way?
Joyce Watson: On that point about the number of people waiting for social housing, does that not inform the Member that there is a real problem about people accessing properties within the private sector, and what they want are secure tenancies within social housing sector?
Joyce Watson: I thought you were looking at me. Yes, I’ll be very brief and I thank you for extending it. First Minister—sorry, I’ve done it now. I’ve promoted you now. [Laughter.] Cabinet Secretary, can I ask you—it will be a brief question—whether you agree that the importance of tackling mental health head on really starts in the workplace? Will you welcome the fact that the Assembly...
Joyce Watson: Cabinet Secretary, I have spoken with a senior spokesperson from Valero regarding the kerosene spillage in Nantycaws, and I was assured, because I asked very much the same questions that have already been asked to you, that immediately upon realising that there was a pressure drop within that pipe—because that's how they knew—they notified NRW and other agencies therein. And I think it's...
Joyce Watson: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’m pleased to bring forward this topic for debate this evening, and I thank Members for their expression of interest in contributing to what I’m sure will be an interesting and worthwhile discussion. I’m allowing time for Rhun ap Iorwerth, Rhianon Passmore, and Suzy Davies to make contributions, and I look forward to hearing from them. During a...
Joyce Watson: I will be brief, Cabinet Secretary. I thank you for your statement, but in my contribution to the recent individual Member's debate, I did urge you to stick with the science, and that is exactly going to be my call now. I believe that it is sticking with the science that was the basis, and the strength, of the current bovine TB eradication programme, and I will urge you to carry on in that...
Joyce Watson: 9. Will the Minister provide an update on the progression of collaborative working across local authorities? OAQ(5)0040(FLG)
Joyce Watson: I thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I don’t know whether you did watch last night’s BBC Two programme ‘Who’s Spending Britain’s Billions?’, but it did actually outline a collaboration that maybe people don’t think is worthy of spending millions of pounds on—when the Plaid Cymru leader of Ceredigion was asked specifically about a contract with...
Joyce Watson: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Thank you, Chair, for your statement. Not to lengthen the debate too much, I want to focus in particular on the report that we will eventually come up with about asylum seekers, refugees and specifically unaccompanied children. I would ask that, within our stages of going through the report, we look at the children we’ve seen from the care report by...
Joyce Watson: Cabinet Secretary, I thank you for your written statement that you issued yesterday afternoon. And, as everybody here will agree, it is hugely disappointing news for the area in which I represent and live. It is a devastating blow, particularly for those families, and it's those families and those individuals who will be facing a very uncertain future that I really want to focus on here...
