Mike Hedges: It is understandable that many care home residents have poor dental health when they first move into care, as they often move into care due to deteriorating health and lack of mobility. As dental access for children is at an all-time high, and, as you know, I speak very regularly about how good Designed to Smile is, does the Minister agree with me that it's fantastic news for older people...
Mike Hedges: Rarely a day goes by that I do not regret the ending of the Communities First schemes in my constituency. Firstly, anyone who thought that a £30-million-a-year scheme would eradicate poverty was somewhere between hyper-optimistic and delusional. This is echoed by the evidence that Caerphilly council gave to an Assembly committee when we were looking at it. Can I just say that to expect a...
Mike Hedges: Me.
Mike Hedges: I'm pretty good.
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Suzy Davies for giving me a minute in this debate, but also for bringing it forward? I want to concentrate on GCSE options. Without a GCSE in a foreign language, pupils are unlikely to go on to an A-level or a degree in that foreign language. In a Welsh-medium school a pupil will study Welsh language and literature, English language and...
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the teaching of basic first aid in schools? OAQ54893
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the First Minister for that response? There are certain life skills that all children should have when they leave school—skills that will be more useful than a lot that is in the formal curriculum. Basic first aid, including things such as stopping heavy bleeding, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the Heimlich manoeuvre, are basic life skills and they help someone save a life. Does...
Mike Hedges: While alchemists wanted to turn base metal into gold, politicians want to get private money cheaply into public projects, thus avoiding falling foul of the public sector borrowing requirement and being capped by the Treasury. The latest attempt in Wales is the mutual investment model that levers in private capital to support public sector projects. When launching the mutual investment model...
Mike Hedges: Can you name a PFI scheme that, over its lifetime, has been value for money?
Mike Hedges: Setting the amount we borrow doesn't deal with how much you can afford. It's how much you're paying back is the important bit, isn't it?
Mike Hedges: I would like to ask for two Government statements. The first is on British Sign Language and the provision of courses, especially for the parents of deaf children. We received and debated a petition from Deffo!, which was supported by the Government and supported by Members across the Chamber, and people are saying to me at Deffo!, 'What's happening now?' Can we have a statement on what...
Mike Hedges: You've talked about the additional costs. What about the savings that may occur because of a lack of psychological damage to children from being hit, and what about the savings that can be made in that parents not starting off with hitting a child lightly don't move on to hitting them more violently?
Mike Hedges: Will the First Minister make a statement on introducing a 'Lucy's law' to regulate puppy farming in Wales?
Mike Hedges: 5. Will the Minister make a statement regarding Welsh Government efforts to reduce traffic congestion between junctions 44 and 46 of the M4? OAQ54936
Mike Hedges: When traffic problems on the M4 are discussed, the problems of traffic jams during peak periods between junctions 44 and 46 tend to be overlooked, though not by those of us travelling along those roads. The reasons for traffic hold-ups include vehicles changing lanes and vehicles entering and leaving the motorway—the same reasons that we have hold-ups everywhere else on the M4. I'm...
Mike Hedges: Diolch, Llywydd. I am pleased to be able to contribute to today's debate on behalf of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee. Before turning to our views on the LCM, I'd like to point out that we had very little time to consider and report on it. Within the time available, it wasn't possible to consider the LCM or the Bill's provisions in any great detail. That said, what...
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on further devolution of taxes as recommended by the Silk Commission? OAQ54983
Mike Hedges: I just wanted to talk about air passenger duty and aggregates levy. The reason why we couldn't have aggregates levy being devolved ends at one second past 11 p.m. on Friday. So, can we expect, at two seconds past 11 p.m., aggregates levy to be devolved? And have you had any further discussion regarding the devolution of air passenger duty?
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Did he also say how many were not being let out of hospital or weren't able to go home because the pharmacy wasn't ready to give them their medication? And how many were fit enough to go home, but a consultant hadn't come around to let them go?
