Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. It's welcome to see initiatives such as the ban on the third party sales of puppies and kittens—Lucy's law—coming into effect, but this is also increasing the inspection and enforcement roles of our Welsh councils. How is Welsh Government supporting councils to fulfil these functions, and is there any role for providing similar statutory responsibilities to, for...
Vikki Howells: 3. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for skills policy during this Senedd term? OQ57808
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister. Last week, the cross-party group on industrial communities heard from deputy principal Sharon James about how Cardiff and Vale College is working to ensure that Wales has the skills needed to flourish from the move to net zero. I took away two key messages around the importance of collaboration across all partners and at all levels of training, from apprenticeships...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister for your answers so far. I would like to warmly welcome the extra £100 that is being awarded to every family that is entitled to the PDG access grant. That is very much welcomed by families in Cynon Valley and I'm sure across Wales this week. Can I ask, Minister, what is being done to raise awareness of that extra fund, and in particular to support families with language...
Vikki Howells: 2. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's COVID-19 vaccination strategy? OQ57856
Vikki Howells: Thank you for that update, First Minister. Cwm Taf University Health Board is closing two of its community vaccination centres, including the one in Cynon Valley. For my constituents, the closest site now will be Merthyr Tydfil. There are real challenges around public transport links, and some of my constituents would need to catch four buses just to get there. What discussions is Welsh...
Vikki Howells: As a member of the economy committee, I'd like to start by echoing the thanks of our Chair, Paul Davies, to all those who took part in or supported our inquiry. It's a really important subject, at its core investigating something that touches the lives of all citizens in Wales on a daily basis, that is, how goods and products get on our shelves in our communities, and how we treat those...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Deputy Minister, for your statement today. The first point I want to make is a simple one: the 2,500 disused coal tips across Wales are a legacy of our industrial past and the systematic extraction of the mineral wealth from communities such as mine in Cynon Valley and your own over a sustained period of coal mined, wealth leached, lives sacrificed. It is staggering, but not...
Vikki Howells: 1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the shared prosperity fund's potential to address economic inequality in Wales? OQ57939
Vikki Howells: I thank you, First Minister, for that answer. Under the recently released and long-awaited details of the shared prosperity fund, it is clear that Wales is set to lose more than £1 billion over the next three years. Funding will also be top-sliced to support the delivery of UK Government pet projects, and there will be duplication of existing provision within Wales. What is the Welsh...
Vikki Howells: 10. Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government priorities for the food and drink sector in Wales? OQ57932
Vikki Howells: I thank you, Minister, for that answer, and of course the food and drink sector is incredibly important to the Welsh economy, contributing £17.3 billion in gross sales annually. It's really important, then, that our skills policy aligns with the needs of the sector so that it can thrive and support good quality jobs. So, could you tell us what discussions you've had with colleagues across...
Vikki Howells: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote tourism within the south Wales valleys? OQ57997
Vikki Howells: Thank you for that answer, Minister. For over 70 years now, Aberdare park has been home to the world-renowned national motorcycle road races. These races are incredibly important to Aberdare and to the Cynon Valley, injecting many thousands of pounds into the economy and bringing in around 5,000 visitors annually, a figure that can actually double in some years. Minister, I know that you and...
Vikki Howells: Thank you for your statement, Minister, and I'd also like to place on record my thanks to you for the work that you've done to date to work with communities to reduce vulnerability to the increased risk of flooding that we see as a result of climate change and for your announcement of over £71 million, the largest ever package of investment in Wales to reduce flood risk. In your statement,...
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today is International Museum Day. First celebrated in 1977, last year over 37,000 museums in over 150 countries took part. The day aims to raise awareness of museums as arenas for cultural exchange, where we enrich our understanding of ourselves and others. This year's theme, the power of museums, taps into this transformative potential. It explores how museums...
Vikki Howells: 3. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for further increasing recycling rates? OQ58108
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. Recent statistics show that Wales was the only part of the UK to maintain its excellent recycling rates during the course of the pandemic, and I'd like to thank every Welsh citizen and council worker who did their bit to make that possible. Another remarkable achievement is the fact that food waste here in Wales is converted via anaerobic digestion,...
Vikki Howells: Thank you for your statement, Minister. It's really encouraging to see you focusing on recruiting Welsh-speaking teachers and progressing the Welsh language skills of the current teaching workforce. If we're to achieve our ambitious goal of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050, then investing in our teaching workforce is absolutely vital. Minister, you recently announced a scheme to boost the...
Vikki Howells: Thank you to my colleague Jack Sargeant for tabling today's motion on pensions divestment. I'm really pleased to speak in support of this important issue, and indeed it's something I've long agreed is essential. For example, I hosted a drop-in with Friends of the Earth Cymru for Senedd Members a few years ago, and the specific purpose of this was to generate consensus behind divesting the...
