Michelle Brown: Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary. Schools in the private and independent sectors achieve better results than those in the state sectors. Are you trying to learn from best practice in the private and independent sectors?
Michelle Brown: I note that the Cabinet Secretary has invited the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to assess whether Welsh Government educational reforms are on track. I think this is a good idea, but isn’t this an admission that, after 17 years, the Welsh Government is out of its depth concerning education policy?
Michelle Brown: That there has been an improvement in one-year survival rates is obviously to be welcomed, but the statistics on the five-year survival of lung cancer patients do rather detract from that achievement. It is shocking that lung cancer survival rates in Wales lag so far behind those of the rest of the UK. Early diagnosis is key. Waiting times to see consultants to have tests and receive...
Michelle Brown: Cross-border co-operation is a welcome suggestion—in fact, I think it’s a great idea. I probably would say that though, because it was in our manifesto last year. The reality in north Wales is that we’re closely linked with the north-west of England in terms of economics, transport, business and family relationships. Many of us commute daily into England to earn pay that we subsequently...
Michelle Brown: How does the Welsh Government ensure that home-schooled children will receive a good standard of education?
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Minister. I welcome the Welsh Government’s aim to provide the infrastructure necessary for the supply of superfast broadband to every property in Wales. It’s good news that 614,000 homes and businesses now have access to superfast broadband if they choose. However, your statement doesn’t indicate what your priorities are regarding which properties will...
Michelle Brown: I know from the experiences of a family member who had cancer some years ago, and was treated at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, that the medical staff on the front line do their utmost to provide prompt, high-quality care. However, this isn’t the first time that the ombudsman has found failures at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd surrounding treatment, despite the obvious efforts of the staff on the front line. What...
Michelle Brown: Since Flint hospital closed, step-down care from Glan Clwyd Hospital to Holywell for Flint patients isn’t working, and there are now excessive waiting times for hospital beds. Why are you reducing local bed availability when we have a shortage of beds, for example, by closing Flint hospital? And, by the way, there was a referendum in Flint that found that the majority of people in Flint...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. School closures, and even the threat of school closures, cause divisions within and between rural communities, especially when there is competition between pupils for school places. When the school is closed, there is a loss of a social and cultural resource and physical meeting place for members of the committee. The local school acts as an...
Michelle Brown: I fully support the vision for Wales that Sally Holland, the new Children’s Commissioner for Wales, has, where she states that all children and young people should have an equal chance to be the best they can be. We all want that for children and young people in Wales and the rest of the UK. At the minute, it’s too early to give a view on whether the post itself and attendant costs are...
Michelle Brown: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement about mental health provision for young people In north Wales, please?
Michelle Brown: Okay, thank you. This year, the Children, Young People and Education Committee held a follow-up inquiry into adoption services in Wales. Whilst progress has been made in setting up a national adoption service in Wales, evidence from the casework has indicated that access to post-adoption support and life-story work remains inconsistent across Wales. Can the Cabinet Secretary make a statement...
Michelle Brown: Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary. And my last question is: can you make a statement about school transport arrangements in Wales, with particular regard to the closure of John Summers High School in Deeside?
Michelle Brown: The Cabinet Secretary has revealed some truly shocking statistics in his statement. It’s shameful that so many women and girls are subjected to domestic violence in this day and age. Although there’s a growing trend where women are the perpetrators of violence against men and domestic violence also occurs in same-sex relationships, domestic violence is still a crime mainly committed by...
Michelle Brown: I’m sure the Cabinet Secretary will agree with me that today’s PISA results are disappointing—for the Government, parents, and, most importantly, the children of Wales. The 2006 results showed that Wales was below average in maths and reading; 2009 revealed that we had performed lower in all areas compared to 2006; 2012 results showed that we had fallen further in maths and science, and...
Michelle Brown: [Continues.]—each generation on bettering themselves, whether it is in a classroom or on the playing field. [Interruption.]
Michelle Brown: We exist in a time where there is competition for places in higher education, in the workplace and generally in all elements of life. So, why not teach our children to be the best they can possibly be? These results also demonstrate that this Government must prioritise core subjects in the classroom. It should reflect on the other areas in the curriculum where time can be better spent on...
Michelle Brown: This will allow all schools, both selective and non-selective, to craft an education fit for their students, encouraging each and every child to excel in their abilities. A one-size-fits-all approach clearly is not the answer. We ask our children to have vision and aspire. I now encourage the Cabinet Secretary to do exactly that. Don’t underestimate future generations; have a system that...
Michelle Brown: I would endorse my friend Gareth Bennett’s comments on the difficulties created for tenants by letting fees and charges. The issue of tenancy and letting agent fees is not confined to fees for credit checks and referencing before or at the start of the tenancy, though. There are frequently schedules of pre-agreed fixed costs for breakages, repairs et cetera, and other charges imposed during...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Minister. The additional learning needs Bill has much to recommend it, although the Bill does raise a number of questions in my mind. In principle, the provision for a code of practice is a good step. However, much will depend on the content of the code and how it’s applied. How will you ensure that the code of practice is achieving its objectives? Although the...
