Suzy Davies: Trefnydd, I was alarmed to hear a few days ago that women going through miscarriages at less than 20 weeks term are being accommodated in a ward at Singleton hospital where there are no en-suite facilities. Worse still, this is a mixed ward where women in the throes of miscarrying are expected to walk past men to get to the toilets and showers, which it is claimed—I'm not sure about...
Suzy Davies: Thank you. I ask every speaker today to take account of the fact that we have three quarters of an hour for this statement. There are a number of speakers, and I start with Dawn Bowden.
Suzy Davies: Finally and briefly, Jack Sargeant.
Suzy Davies: Thank you, Deputy Minister, and apologies to those I was unable to call this afternoon.
Suzy Davies: The next item, item 6, has been postponed.
Suzy Davies: We turn, therefore, to the legislative consent motion on the Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill. And I call on the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to move the motion—Lesley Griffiths.
Suzy Davies: 9. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy on multi-year budgeting? OAQ53522
Suzy Davies: Thank you for that answer. You'll be aware, of course, and we've heard today about the serious concerns now being expressed about school funding, and one of the things that we hear is that schools can find themselves in receipt of extra money at very short notice at the end of the financial year, which makes it very difficult for them to spend it in-year effectively. It also has the...
Suzy Davies: One aim of the strategy is to increase the provision of post-16 Welsh learning to help people use more of the Welsh language in the workplace. I think I’m pleased to see ideas such as a telephone helpline to help provide free translation services to small businesses and charities, for example, but that is a very small step towards the target of a million Welsh speakers in 2050. What do you...
Suzy Davies: The question for me is: how does this Assembly influence how our two Governments work together to ensure that the integrity of the devolved settlement is protected? And while I wasn't a member of this committee when the work was being done on this particular agreement, the work that I've done on the committee since then has coloured how I want to put my presentation to you together, so I hope...
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, can I thank you very much for confirming that you've now heard from the finance Minister with a figure to be passported to you from the UK Government budget to meet—and I think; I'm just quoting you—that £47.7 million in full? It meets the costs of the pension hike in full. So, that's pleasing to hear. Can you tell me what steps you'll be taking to make...
Suzy Davies: Thank you. That's a very helpful answer, Minister. You've just confirmed that this is going to be ring-fenced money and it will be going to the schools, and, if that doesn't happen, then, obviously, we will be holding you, as well as local authorities, to account on that. Perhaps you can let us have a note at some point about what the difference is between the money that you've had from the...
Suzy Davies: Again, thank you for that answer. Well, obviously, I'm hoping, like me, you're interested in the life chances of pupils from all backgrounds, and, at the moment, it's those in more affluent areas who seem to be taking the brunt of the way that local authorities are making decisions about how they distribute moneys—core funding. It's all well and good to speak about some of the other grants...
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, first of all, can I thank you very much indeed for the very speedy response you gave to the concerns I raised during the business statement last week?
Suzy Davies: I'm so sorry. How long have I been here?
Suzy Davies: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on mixed wards in hospitals? OAQ53568
Suzy Davies: Thank you very much. That's encouraging and—. Shall we take those thanks as read? I was grateful to you for that quick response—it's great to get that. And Members will remember that I raised, in business statement last week, the very unfortunate situation of women experiencing miscarriage before 20 weeks being located on a mixed-sex ward in Swansea's Singleton Hospital. And it may well...
Suzy Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. May I thank the committee for this report, specifically the section on the Welsh language? The Welsh language is a cross-cutting issue, of course, for the Government, so perhaps some of my questions may be a matter for the Minister, rather than the Chair, but I would like to hear from both of you, if possible. The future of the Welsh language doesn’t...
Suzy Davies: Yes, to start.
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I move amendment 44 and I'll be speaking to amendment 44 and 45. Both of them relate to the appointment of the ombudsman and the Assembly's power to waive certain restrictions imposed on the ombudsman after leaving office, as set out in Schedule 1. Amendment 44 clarifies that the Assembly is required to determine the terms and conditions of appointment for an...
