Nick Ramsay: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today? Cabinet Secretary, you cite improvements in employment rates since 2000 in your statement as a major success of structural funds. I would agree that they have played their part, along with other elements. I would suggest UK Government economic policy, over the last few years, has also played a part, along with those structural funds....
Nick Ramsay: 10. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s funding priorities for supporting the Welsh coastline? OAQ(5)0048(ERA)
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Although, admittedly, my constituency has a very short coastline, namely the Black Rock picnic site—[Laughter.]—which I do enjoy, I’m sure you would agree with me the Welsh coastline belongs to all of us. Many of my constituents appreciate visiting the coastline along the rest of Wales. Recently, I attended the National Trust Welsh coast event in the...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for giving way. I think it’s around three years now since I remember questioning the Member for Llanelli in a previous life, when I was Chair of the Enterprise and Business Committee and he was giving evidence for Sustrans. So, three years have passed and we spoke about all this then. It’s all great stuff, but what is actually happening on the ground with these cycle networks?...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, as Sian Gwenllian said, your budget agreement, announced yesterday, features £25 million additional funding for local authorities, but this does come in the wake of the £761 million real-terms reduction in aggregate external finance, as has been identified by the Wales Audit Office. That’s between 2011 and 2016-17. How are you going to ensure that this...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you. This is clearly a very important area for local authorities across Wales, financially. The programme for government commits to a floor for future local government settlements. This is particularly important for rural authorities that have consistently received poorer deals, for whatever reason—you and I might have different views on the reasons for that. But, for whatever reason,...
Nick Ramsay: I did anticipate that this is probably in advance of your statement later today, Cabinet Secretary, but, as I said, it’s a very important issue for local authorities, so it does need airing at the earliest opportunity. I hear what you just said. A funding floor, I’m sure you will agree, is all well and good, but, as we know from the Barnett experience, a funding floor can be seen as a...
Nick Ramsay: As you’ve mentioned my colleague in Monmouthshire Peter Fox, Minister, I think you’ll remember as well that he was one of the first people within south-east Wales, or one of the first elected officials, to call for the combined authorities model that has been practised in areas such as greater Manchester. I think he even called for it before Plaid Cymru were talking about that type of model.
Nick Ramsay: The question of a youth parliament, or youth assembly, indeed, as Lynne Neagle referred to it, which I think I would favour as well, is one that has been discussed a number of times in this Assembly by many AMs past and present over the years, but we’ve never quite got there—well, certainly not yet. This is, at the end of the day, about democracy—increasing youth participation and...
Nick Ramsay: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on levels of business rates in Wales? OAQ(5)0231(FM)
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, First Minister. I’m sure you’re aware of the massive new level of uncertainty, particularly in rural areas, that’s been heaped on small businesses by the huge cost swings resulting from business rate revaluation. Now, I appreciate that overall it’s cost neutral and there are always going to be winners and losers, but businesses in Monmouthshire are facing an 11 per cent...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, leader of the house, and can I first of all welcome the tabling of today’s statement on the specialist and critical care centre in Cwmbran? I was pleased to receive the embargoed statement earlier today in pretty good time for that. We’ve been calling for a long time now—AMs—in this Chamber for an update on the critical care centre, so I’m looking forward to questioning...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, thanks for your statement today. Some good news, at last; it has been a long time coming. When you mentioned the frustration of certain Members, I think a large chunk of that frustration has come from the Member for Torfaen and me over the last few weeks and months. We have called for this statement, and you did say you would deliver it at the end of October, and you have,...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, in your predecessor’s written statement on 28 January this year, Huw Lewis said that the system is not about labelling or creating crude league tables. He also said that any school performing below agreed performance of free school meals would be awarded yellow at best. I can see the rationale behind this, particularly in areas of high free school meals uptake, but it...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, as you say, there has been progress made, and aside from some of the constitutional issues that Dafydd Elis-Thomas referred to, this Bill will give power to the Assembly over such things as the name and electoral arrangements. So, progress has been made there. Can I ask you, First Minister, tax devolution is part of and is indeed running in tandem with the Wales Bill—what...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, I had the opportunity at lunchtime to visit the plethora of societies and trusts in the Oriel upstairs dedicated to protecting our historic environment; to name but a few, the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and also of course the Friends of Friendless Churches, often mentioned in this Chamber. They have concerns about this...
Nick Ramsay: Cabinet Secretary, community pharmacies have a big role to play in delivering care in the right place at the right time, as you just talked about. I had the chance, recently, to visit a Lloyds Pharmacy in my constituency. I was struck by the disjoint between hospitals and community pharmacists when it comes to discharge. Although discharge medicine reviews do happen, I understand that 30 per...
Nick Ramsay: 8. Will the Minister make a statement on the GP out-of-hours services available in south east Wales? OAQ(5)0059(HWS)
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I was recently contacted by an 87-year-old constituent who was in need of an out-of-hours appointment following a problem with a catheter in the early hours of the morning. A home visit was requested by phone at 11.00 a.m. and a visit booked. A doctor didn’t finally arrive until 8.00 p.m., nine hours later, after several phone calls in the meantime. The doctor...
Nick Ramsay: Will you take an intervention on that?
