Janet Finch-Saunders: Participating in this inquiry into the revised Welsh baccalaureate qualification has certainly been eye-opening for me, and some of the findings of the report were very fundamental. A number of examples of poor perceptions of the Welsh bac have been highlighted, for example 66 per cent believing that the Welsh bac is not valuable to future careers; understanding of the qualification by...
Janet Finch-Saunders: No, I'm sorry, Hefin. Oh, go on, I'll take an intervention—go on. [Laughter.]
Janet Finch-Saunders: Okay. Well, with all due respect, I've taken the intervention and so it's not about what Michelle has said, it's what I'm saying. And with all due respect, this is what I found taking evidence. We met pupils, we met teachers, we met headteachers, we met parents—we met everybody, and, to be honest, the feedback really surprised me, because I thought it was going to be a lot more positive...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Oh, go on then.
Janet Finch-Saunders: When we interviewed the pupils themselves, some hadn't taken it because they'd been off-put by their friends who said the skills challenge certificate was one of the main considerations why they either didn't want to take the bac or found it challenging and difficult when they did. That was the very point that they made, but there are many other reasons with the Welsh bac: its recognition,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thirteen people lose their sight in Wales every day, adding to the staggering fact that 111,000 people live with sight loss here. Sight loss and blindness have a substantial effect on individuals. For example, over 14,000 people aged over 65 with sight loss are thought to experience one fall annually; 40 per cent of blind and partially sighted people have said that they are moderately or...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Could I ask for a statement, please, on the massive funding cuts that your Government have imposed on our national parks? The oldest national park in Wales is now under threat. Snowdonia is home to over 26,000, attracting 6 million people annually to enjoy its breathtaking scenery and world-leading attractions. Our unique landscape is a global attraction, and requires careful management to...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the First Minister make a statement on staffing levels at the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust?
Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, 'The Right Way: A Children’s Rights Approach' includes the need to enhance children's capabilities as individuals so they're better able to take advantage of their own rights. This, of course, includes article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that the best interest of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Is this number one?
Janet Finch-Saunders: I'm just checking.
Janet Finch-Saunders: I am ready, thank you, Llywydd.
Janet Finch-Saunders: The Act has an admirable aim of achieving seven well-being goals across Wales. These include, of course, a Wales of cohesive communities, meaning that we should have well-connected communities. Key to this, of course, is public transport. However, I have found myself fighting three major campaigns to save our bus services in Aberconwy. So it does seem that north Wales is actually stepping...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 4. How will the Minister respond to the emergence of declarations in favour of Welsh independence by some councils in Wales? OAQ54262
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Minister. Eleven community and town councils have now passed motions supporting an independent Wales. So, that is 11 out of well over 700 individual bodies. Now, the chair of Nefyn town council has been quoted as saying that he hopes the town council's decision will cause a tsunami of excitement and confidence throughout the nation. He's right about one thing: independence would be...
Janet Finch-Saunders: —and your Welsh Government benefits greatly from Wales being an integral part of our United Kingdom. Whilst I appreciate that independence has only won support of around 1.5 per cent of all town and community councils in Wales, I believe that a strong—[Interruption.]—response is needed from your Government. Will you, therefore, confirm that the Welsh Government will not use these votes...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Minister for your response. But, let's be clear here today, no-one can doubt that the Welsh Conservatives and others in this Chamber are passionate about ensuring the improvement of sufficient provision for those with autism and their families. We've been reminded of this only today and need only to look back to January, when the Welsh...
Janet Finch-Saunders: No, I won't, no. A Bill that, when it came forward in 2015, was voted through. Yet, it is after that stage that the politicisation came in—[Interruption.] I'm sorry, Hefin, but that's the fact. As my colleagues in this Chamber have explained, it is paramount to the overall success of the IAS that the Welsh Government fully considers the issues raised by the evaluation of the integrated...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Okay. We are fed up on these benches of 'delete all and replace with'. It's about time you had respect for your opposition, it's about time that you had respect for all Members in this Assembly, and when a Member has the chance to introduce a Bill, it's about time that you actually showed some brave—
Janet Finch-Saunders: —and allowed Bills like that to go through. Frankly, it is me that's ashamed of you and your benches.
