David Melding: 8. How does the Welsh Government's education programme develop skills in new technology and innovation? OAQ52783
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, you may have seen a recent report that said the Welsh technology industry is growing faster than any other area except London. During 2016, the number of digital companies launching in Wales grew from 3,000 to 3,275, or a growth of 9.1 per cent, and Cardiff and Swansea are now the leaders in this technological drive. It is very, very important that this is reflected in the...
David Melding: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's priorities for health services in South Wales Central? OAQ52782
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board has worked with partners in social care, the Welsh ambulance service and the voluntary sector to develop a winter plan to manage the increased demand on services, both at the University Hospital of Wales and at Llandough. The proposal includes an extra 32 beds for winter pressures and a further 12 beds as well if they are...
David Melding: It's a pleasure to take part in this important debate and I'm pleased that in this fifth Assembly we have focused on this, the whole issue of the foundational economy, because I think really since the financial crisis there's been a great need to revisit how we look at the economy, because the economy has got to be much more than what can be captured by descriptions such as 'globalisation',...
David Melding: 3. What is the Welsh Government doing to protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities in South Wales Central? OAQ52836
David Melding: I'm grateful for that answer. You may know, as part of Mountain Ash's regeneration, a Mountain Ash community hub is being developed, and people with disabilities have contacted me to say it's essential that that hub has disabled parking facilities. The day centre building never had those, nor a dropping-off point. I do commend RCT council for their consultation exercise. I have written to...
David Melding: I do note there is a broad consensus in this Chamber on this area of public policy and I in no way want that to end. I would, however, emphasise in my response to your statement the need now to ensure a qualitative assurance as well as quantitative. I don't know if you've seen the recent audit office report into the recycling of plastics—this is in England—but over 50 per cent of our...
David Melding: Can I commend the Welsh Government and Cardiff council, and the private sector, for the excellent joint working that's doing so much to transform central Cardiff at the moment? The only fly in the ointment that I can see at the moment is the Welsh Government-owned land at Callaghan Square, which I think has been ready for development for some time. It's certainly been owned by the Welsh...
David Melding: It's a pleasure to follow our excellent Chairman. I say 'our' excellent Chairman—I've now left the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, but I did enjoy my time on it, and I thought this was a particularly important report, and a fitting one with which to end my time on the committee. Housing is a key area for carbon reduction, and if we're to meet our ambitious targets...
David Melding: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I do move amendment 3 in the name of Darren Millar. And can I thank Plaid Cymru, and Llyr Gruffydd in particular, for tabling today’s motion? I think it is a very important debate, and we’ve heard, in fairness, two very passionate contributions. And it’s hardly surprising, given the challenges that we now know we face from indisputable...
David Melding: If I have time. I realise the Deputy Presiding Officer is much more indulgent than I ever was in these matters.
David Melding: What I note is that renewable energy is now becoming the market preference, and that is absolutely what we should be aiming for, and that is what these incentives were made to achieve. I was going to finish with the point that we need more woodland and forests, including a strategy for 20 per cent urban canopy cover, and active travel, again, has to be a key element—active travel involving...
David Melding: Can I say that we in the Welsh Conservative group will be supporting the motion today? Over the last decade, the private rented sector has grown both in absolute numbers and proportionality, mostly at the expense of owner-occupation levels. If the trend continues, the private rented sector will become the second most prevalent accommodation type after home ownership; it is anticipated to...
David Melding: [Inaudible.]—give way on this. Why don't you follow the practice set out in the English Bill, which does allow local authorities to do this?
David Melding: This is a useful debate and report, and these are important matters that require very careful reflection. I think I will start with this controversy over the EU charter of human rights, which—. My understanding is that that actually catalogues the rights that exist under EU law, and as it is not a foundational document as such, but draws together those rights in existing EU legislation,...
David Melding: 4. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the effect of lifting the housing revenue account borrowing cap? OAQ52932
David Melding: I also welcome the fact that this cap has been lifted. It will also allow local authorities to work effectively with other organisations, especially housing associations. I note the interesting partnership model that exists in Warrington council, where they have increased the total loans to housing associations by hundreds of millions of pounds. That sort of imagination we could see in Wales,...
David Melding: I speak as chair of the ministerial advisory group, which makes my response from the Conservative benches slightly irregular. So, I'll have a judicious mix of both roles, I think. But it is a serious point here that I think work in this area, which is very challenging, but there's a lot of good practice and good outcomes out there as well, requires to the maximum extent a non-partisan...
David Melding: Can I commend the work of the St Giles Trust, who presented yesterday to the all-party group on looked-after children about the county lines project that is running in co-operation with a project in Gwent? We heard really alarming evidence of how these drug rings use looked-after children, care leavers and, of course, lots of other vulnerable people, and it's really important that those...
