Nick Ramsay: How is the Welsh Government developing sustainable transport links in rural areas?
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, my constituents in Chepstow could only look on enviously last week as news reports of the newly opened Newtown bypass filled their tv screens, ably supported with interviews from Ken Skates, Russell George and others, and, of course, we all welcome the opening of that bypass. It's been a long time in the making. However, as those news reports circulated, Chepstow was totally clogged...
Nick Ramsay: You've started something now, Minister. I don't know whether you've got any figures in that file relating to my constituency as well—probably other Assembly Members will ask the same. If you don't have any figures, either now or later, if you could contact me regarding the uptake of the scheme in my area, that would be much appreciated. In terms of the community scheme and the benefits...
Nick Ramsay: 9. How is the Minister strengthening the planning process in rural areas? OAQ53447
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Deputy Minister. And you've anticipated my question by mentioning the LDP process. I recently held a supermarket surgery in Morrisons in Abergavenny—always a popular model. I can see Lynne Neagle agrees and holds them as well. [Laughter.] One issue that keeps coming up in my surgeries at the moment is planning and, in particular, the number of planning applications that are...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, yesterday I, Jenny Rathbone and, indeed, the day before, Mohammad Asghar were part of the Public Accounts Committee trip to Wrexham in north Wales—a very useful meeting. And it was made possible by a very pleasant train journey there and back, courtesy of Transport for Wales. That journey went very well, but, as I'm sure many AMs are aware, that experience is not universal, and...
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to contribute to today's debate on the supplementary budget before us. Can I thank the Minister for her willingness to meet and engage during the process of laying this budget? I've had many useful discussions with your predecessor, and I'm pleased that that spirit of co-operation has continued. I'm also pleased to be taking part in the Finance Committee's work on the...
Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s transport priorities for young people?
Nick Ramsay: I thought Lynne Neagle was going to be answering the questions there for a moment.
Nick Ramsay: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on budget allocations to the health and social services portfolio? OAQ53510
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. In yesterday's statement, I asked you about the way that the future generations legislation was being incorporated into the budget. Another area of concern that's been under some criticism from the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales is that of moving the focus of healthcare towards the preventative agenda, which hasn't always happened in the past, and which we...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, I'd like to ask you about procurement. Can you provide us with an update on Welsh Government plans for the future of the National Procurement Service, the NPS, and public procurement in Wales in general?
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. When I asked your predecessor—you referred to the statement—now sitting on your left—sitting there anyway—about Welsh Government plans for the future of the NPS—physically, that is—in October 2018, he told me that customers felt that 'a collective approach to public procurement in Wales was better secured through a strengthened regional tier'— you've just...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch. I always like it when Ministers refer to public accounts inquiries, clearly with my Chair of that committee hat on as well. Aside from the work that public accounts has done into this area, according to a recent written Assembly question and answer to that question in 2018, 22 per cent of procurement spend by the Welsh Government on construction contracts worth over £500,000 went to...
Nick Ramsay: 7. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government plans for rail services in Monmouthshire? OAQ53570
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, First Minister. Can you update us on your efforts to deal with some of the teething problems that have befallen the Transport for Wales franchise in its first few months? I did raise this issue in the business statement with the Trefnydd last week. One of my constituents, studying at Hereford Sixth Form College, has experienced many services being delayed or cancelled, and she's very...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, it was a pleasure to celebrate Commonwealth Day with other Assembly Members and indeed the Llywydd herself, who I believe sponsored the event, upstairs in the Oriel at lunch time. There were a number of organisations present—from Future Leaders Connect, Young Women Empowered movement, Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel—loads of organisations and it was a pleasure to go around and chat to...
Nick Ramsay: I'll just regain my confidence before I speak. To be fair to Andrew R.T. Davies, he never was rounding up this debate, so when he did try to intervene, it probably was his last word, but, there we are, I'll do my best to round up. Can I thank everyone who has contributed to this afternoon's discussion? It's only been a couple of weeks, as the Minister has just said, since I spoke here as...
Nick Ramsay: What steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve road safety on 'A' roads in the Monmouth constituency?
Nick Ramsay: I think that between your answer, Minister, and Hefin David's question you've pretty much touched on all aspects of my knowledge of the foundational economy. At the very end there you mentioned procurement, and it was only the other week in spokesperson's questions that I asked the Minister for Finance and procurement about the valuable role of procurement in developing local supply chains...
