Andrew RT Davies: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's funding for education across South Wales Central?
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, back in March of this year, the environment Minister indicated that, in relation to the incinerator in Barry, the Government were minded to have an environmental impact assessment undertaken. The Government informed the developer back in February of this year that that was going to be the case. To date, the Government haven't instructed that environmental impact assessment to...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the First Minister make a statement on interventions made by Welsh Ministers on planning matters across Wales?
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, you recently took the decision on the Hendy windfarm to allow permission for that to be granted, despite the local authority's planning committee refusing the application and the planning inspectorate's own appeal inspector refusing the application. As I understand it, Welsh Government officials have been involved with Powys County Council in...
Andrew RT Davies: I think in your reply to me there, Cabinet Secretary, you indicated that the planning inspector did stick to the rules but you disagree with his conclusion. Your department recently, as well, when it comes to shooting on public land, disagreed with the independent report that was commissioned at a cost of £47,000. Can you give us a sense of why the department is going against the evidence,...
Andrew RT Davies: I do take the point that Welsh Government, in fairness—we can disagree or agree with the policy—has had a policy of promoting wind energy, but they've had a policy of promoting wind energy within certain areas and certain zones that are proved for the development of these windfarms. Here, this particular development was outside of that zone and, as I said in my opening question to you,...
Andrew RT Davies: Cabinet Secretary, thank you for that answer to the previous question, because I was going to ask you the timeline that you're working to. You indicate that you're bringing forward a statement before the Christmas recess. Will that statement include a timeline of delivery? Because, at the moment, the moratorium, in effect, has been brought forward by the prevention of new planning...
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, the Government has already had two consultations, in 2013 and 2016, on this particular issue. At the time, the Cabinet Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, said that there was no evidence to indicate that Greenland white-fronted geese are currently being shot in Wales. I think, from your answer to John Griffiths, there's an indication that the Government is minded to pursue legislation in...
Andrew RT Davies: 9. Will the First Minister make a statement on IT capabilities within the Welsh NHS? OAQ52927
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, you'll be aware of the Public Accounts Committee report that came out last week looking at IT provision within the Welsh NHS, and a damning report, to say the least, it was. I appreciate you won't comment specifically on that report because I will get the line that the Government is considering the report, but IT is a huge component of the delivery of healthcare within the...
Andrew RT Davies: Leader of the house, could I seek two statements, if possible, please? The first is from the health Secretary, in relation to maternity services in Wales. When he made a statement in relation to the incident at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and staffing at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, he gave an assurance that his officials were working with health boards across Wales to satisfy himself that...
Andrew RT Davies: I hope the Minister recovers her voice shortly. Thank you, Minister, for your statement, or Cabinet Secretary, it's very much appreciated. Animal welfare is one of the issues that is always one of the big issues that are in most Members' postbags. Periodically, there are campaigns, but I never find a time in the year where some issue on animal welfare isn't capturing the public's imagination....
Andrew RT Davies: Cabinet Secretary, thank you for your statement today. One of the things that does seem to mark out the winter months is these winter pressures on the NHS and, obviously, over the Christmas period, as you alluded to in your statement. With the bank holidays and all the rest of it, it is a particularly challenging management time for the NHS, and we do pay tribute to the work of the NHS staff...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the Cabinet Secretary take an intervention?
Andrew RT Davies: I'm grateful to him for taking the intervention. I do take the point, and I, as a Member of this institution, want as much autonomy as possible within this institution, but under the EU rules, on the rural development plan, for example, the Cabinet Secretary and her officials would be going back and forth to Brussels for final sign-off. Do you not accept that there is an element, on a UK...
Andrew RT Davies: I think Darren thought he was having to get up and make a speech then. [Laughter.] Thank you, Presiding Officer—it's my pleasure to move the amendment that the Conservatives have put down to today's debate by UKIP, and I thank UKIP for bringing the debate on animal welfare here to the Chamber this afternoon. As I said in yesterday's statement, one of the things that fills most Members'...
Andrew RT Davies: Twenty-first century schools, First Minister, as we've heard you many times say, is about improving the school estate across Wales. In my own electoral region, the Vale of Glamorgan Council are proposing to shut a small rural school that has a good role to it, has a bright future ahead of it—Llancarfan school. I appreciate you can't talk about the specific case, but surely it is not right...
Andrew RT Davies: On that very last point, I was going to ask for a statement; I'm quite surprised at how dismissive the leader of the house has been on that. Many constituents, over the last week, certainly, have contacted me, and it has been evidenced here today with the leader of the opposition's comments and the Member from Plaid Cymru's comments and hard evidence of trains just not turning up. I think in...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. It is my pleasure to move the two amendments in the name of Darren Millar this afternoon. Just talking about the generalities of the debate, it is good that we do debate these issues. One thing that Wales has is an abundance of natural resources that if harnessed correctly, could help the energy footprint, not just of Wales, but of the rest of...
Andrew RT Davies: I find that remarkable, that intervention from the Member for Anglesey. I recognise the work that he has done as an individual, but it clearly shows that he has failed to win the argument within his political group, and therefore I fail to see how, when the reference in the amendment is quite clear to Wylfa Newydd specifically and doesn't widen any broader than that, he, certainly, as an...
