Huw Irranca-Davies: Indeed, staying ahead of the curve in technological innovation is critical for the success of businesses in Wales, and artificial intelligence is one of the emergent battlegrounds in business competition, and, on a global stage, companies like Sony recognise this. But here in south Wales, the award-winning Sony UK technology centre in Pencoed is leading the way in this and many other ways,...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 3. What are the Counsel General's key priorities in the run-up to Brexit? OAQ53597
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank the Counsel General for that answer, but I want to turn to another priority. On Question Time on the BBC last week and on Sunday night on the BBC Wales Live programme and in conversations in the streets and the cafes and the pubs and clubs across Wales and with families and neighbours and on anti-social media, there is often a harsher, brutal and sometimes a downright nasty edge to...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Joyce, will you give way?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Joyce, thank you for giving way. I wonder how you'd respond to a constituent from Bridgend, Jocelyn from the WASPI Bridgend and Valleys group, who said to me when I asked her, 'What would you say if you were able to speak in this debate?' And she said, 'Huw, what I'd say is that 1950s women have suffered enough through inequality all of our lives. We now live a life of induced poverty,...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and could I just join others in saying how delighted I am that you're taking this forward? When we were both MPs together, you were an ardent campaigner against the tide at that time on this issue, and there is a sweet synchronicity in actually you standing there now and taking this forward, and I'm absolutely delighted. I think you're in good hands, as well, with your...
Huw Irranca-Davies: What consideration has the First Minister given to the Institute of Welsh Affairs' report, Re-energising Wales?
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. What measures will the Minister take to promote the highest environmental standards after Brexit? OAQ53656
Huw Irranca-Davies: I think we very much welcome the work the Welsh Government is doing to make sure that we do have robust protections in place and in fact we enhance those protections after Brexit. But we note, as we speak today, that there are young people up in the gallery looking down on our proceedings, and, for them, some of the defence in protections for our natural environment will be the ability of the...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm delighted to sum up with a few comments here on the debate we've just heard and first of all to welcome the fact that this debate has been called and we've had so many contributions. I, like many Assembly Members, have been in many touchline discussions with mums and dads, players, coaches and others over the last few weeks and months about the future...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Well, absolutely, and there's something quite chilling within that as well. What has happened to that—and in comparison with football, where they've clearly got it right, as Mike said earlier on? What have we got wrong in our regional rugby set-up that people are not going to watch it there, to stand alongside the pitch, in good stadia with good facilities—but they're not going to watch...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank you so much for giving way, and I know you were in full steam there. Does he see any read across at all to the complaint that we make about the stranglehold that UK Government funding has on Wales with what's happening in England? English councils are screaming about the austerity measures on them, where £16 billion of core funding has been pulled away from local government in...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 1. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government on consolidating existing legislation in order to enshrine the rights of Welsh citizens to challenge environmental decisions after Brexit? OAQ53692
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank the Minister for that answer. I'm sure he'll agree with me that one of the critical protections afforded to citizens of the EU under the current arrangements is the ability to legally challenge Governments, as we've seen with landmark legal judgments such as those in air pollution brought by Client Earth repeatedly. In terms of a 'no deal', Client Earth's legal team have already...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 2. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government on ways to improve protection of human rights for citizens in Wales after Brexit? OAQ53693
Huw Irranca-Davies: I wonder if I could ask the Minister about one specific aspect, which is the EU charter of fundamental rights. One of the consequences of leaving the EU, of course, is that citizens of Wales and the UK will no longer have the protection of the charter of fundamental rights. The charter, of course, has many areas that overlap with our Human Rights Act 1998, but it goes further, providing a...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 7. What discussions has the Minister had with colleagues on ways to promote Wales’s global image as a place for investment? OAQ53694
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank the Minister. I was pleased to attend and speak last week at an event organised by the Royal Society and the Learned Society of Wales on the matter of the challenges and opportunities for research and development and innovation in Wales. One of the many aspects we considered were the Reid recommendations, including the need to increase the visibility and influence of Welsh research by...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 2. What progress has been made on encouraging active travel to and from the Senedd? OAQ53696
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank David very much for that really comprehensive answer. I have to say that the Assembly is leading the way very much here in terms of active travel, but we could always do more, so I will be popping up regularly as a critical friend. I want to ask you, David, whether you have given any consideration, or whether you would give consideration, to the use of alternatives to heavy-duty...
