Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, we've looked at the history of vascular services in north Wales more than once in the Senedd. I don't agree, the health board doesn't agree and the royal colleges don't agree with what the Member has been suggesting over the years. Llywydd, the health Minister has accepted that there continue to be concerns with vascular services in north Wales and the progress in vascular...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, the UK Government continues to deploy its legislative programme in ways that disregard the Sewel convention and undermine the devolution settlement by stealth. Of current Bills, the arbitrary and ideologically driven Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill poses really significant risks to the Welsh Government and to this Senedd.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, those are very important points indeed that Huw Irranca-Davies has made this afternoon. The best hope that we have of the UK Government stepping back from the precipice of its own making is that it will listen, not simply to voices here in Wales or in Scotland, by those many voices in academic life, environmental groups, and particularly in the field of business. And Huw...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, people across Wales, including in Newport West, are experiencing the largest and sharpest fall in living standards since records began. This financial year, we will spend £1.6 billion on targeted cost-of-living support and universal programmes to tackle poverty and to leave money in people's pockets.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I don't think there is any doubt; I think it's just a statement of fact that living standards will fall in this financial year and next financial year, to an extent that we've never seen before. Llywydd, I think Jayne Bryant makes two very important points. It sometimes seems to me to a be a bit hidden in the public reporting and discussion of assistance with energy bills the...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the instability of the UK Government and frequent UK ministerial changes have made it difficult to form dependable and productive links in the past year. We continue to press for implementation of the reformed inter-governmental relations machinery and the predictable, respectful system it implies.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, just to make sure that this is properly on the record, the amount of money available for the whole of Wales from the levelling up fund is less than the money available to the south-east of England. Now, should we surprised at that? Well, I don't suppose we would be, because the current Prime Minister was on record during his campaign to become Prime Minister as having said that...
Mark Drakeford: Diolch, Llywydd. To put it in context for a moment, Wales received 22 per cent of the European Union's UK allocation from the last round of structural funds—22 per cent. We received 10 per cent of the levelling-up fund. Remember, Llywydd—remember—we were not to be a single penny worse off as a result of leaving the European Union. What nonsense that turned out to be. To answer the...
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government continues to invest in the road infrastructure in mid Wales including, for example, the £46 million programme of improvements at the Dyfi Bridge in Machynlleth.
Mark Drakeford: Citizens in Wales, including in South Wales East, continue to benefit from initiatives such as our £150 cost-of-living payment, fuel support scheme and discretionary assistance fund. The Welsh Government will continue to prioritise our spending and target action to support the most vulnerable households through this cost-of-living crisis.
Mark Drakeford: Our programme for government makes significant commitments across all Government activity that are designed to tackle health inequalities in Wales. We published 'The Quality Statement for women and girls’ health' in 2022 and the first phase of a women’s health plan for Wales was published by NHS Wales in December.
Mark Drakeford: Despite the absence of serious UK Government engagement, we continue to make the case for devolution through our actions supporting the justice system. For example, even in this challenging time, we have extended our funding for police community support officers across Wales.
Mark Drakeford: Our violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence national strategy is being delivered through a collaborative blueprint approach alongside key partners including local authorities, police and the specialist sector. Street harassment and safety in public places is one of the blueprint work streams, providing a focus for an innovative joined-up approach to this issue in Wales.
Mark Drakeford: We recognise the benefits of a shorter working week alongside other forms of flexible working, and we work in social partnership to encourage progressive and fair working practices. Officials discussed these issues with social partners at the joint executive committee of the workforce partnership council on 27 January.
Mark Drakeford: We are in the second year of the three-year planned implementation of our additional learning needs and education tribunal Act. From 2023, annual support for that implementation will be £25.5 million to support system improvement.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is committed to applying and embedding the social model of disability throughout everything it does. The work of the disability rights taskforce is based on a common understanding of the social model of disability, human rights and co-production.
Mark Drakeford: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the statutory regulatory body responsible for monitoring and enforcing the Equality Act. Duties under the Act are conferred directly upon relevant public bodies including the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government can encourage and support providers of public services to fulfil their duties.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring women’s safety in all public spaces. We are addressing these issues through our Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Strategy, which includes a focus on street harassment, aiming to make Wales the safest place in Europe to be a woman.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring women’s safety in all public spaces. We are addressing these issues through our Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Strategy, which includes a focus on street harassment, aiming to make Wales the safest place in Europe to be a woman.
Mark Drakeford: I am concerned by the latest revelations regarding warrants. Officials are investigating. The Minister for Social Justice again wrote to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 2 February, calling on him to act immediately to end the forced installation of prepayment meters.
