Andrew RT Davies: Minister, thank you for your statement this afternoon. There's one certainty in life in this place since I joined in 2007: that there will be various TB statements as we progress through the whole term. Indeed, the Presiding Officer led the charge for four years in her time as Cabinet Secretary in, I think, the third Assembly. I don't make those comments lightly, because this is a devastating...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the First Minister make a statement on the use of the Welsh Government's new income tax powers?
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. I agree with the sentiments that have been expressed today. It is a shame that only 30 minutes of parliamentary time is being used to deal with this very, very important issue. People will have different ways of attracting and attacking this particular problem that we face and this issue that we face, which, as...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the Minister make a statement on the future of the Welsh Baccalaureate?
Andrew RT Davies: Organiser, could I seek two statements, or certainly ministerial clarification? One is in relation to the environmental impact assessment that I've asked you and your predecessors about 101 times about Barry incinerator. We're in a new term, I live in hope—God loves a trier, he does—and I've tried long and hard in this Chamber to try and illicit some response from the Minister on this....
Andrew RT Davies: Organiser, could I seek two statements, if possible, please? One in connection to press reports on the weekend in the financial papers around developments of the Ford engine plant and, in particular, the Welsh Government's site at Brocastle and the potential for Jim Ratcliffe's company to come there and build a potential 4x4 vehicle to replace the Land Rover model. I appreciate the Welsh...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Minister, I do understand the position you've taken on farm plastics and the disposal of farm plastics. It is a commercial decision, in the relationship between operators and farm businesses. But the regulations that surround farm plastics and the storage of farm plastics is obviously a Government regulation. Have you given any consideration to being a...
Andrew RT Davies: Any assistance, obviously, the Government can give to being a facilitator to solving the problem, I think, would be very welcome, as I said, given the amount of on-farm plastics that are used and, ultimately, moving to a scenario in years to come where plastics aren't used and there are alternatives. But I would like to take you up on the statistics that you gave me in the last questioning...
Andrew RT Davies: I think we'd all agree that we want to see pollution incidents pushed back and down, and, hopefully, towards zero level, but, sadly, we know that's most probably impossible. But, as I said, with the 20-year projection, which is shared by Natural Resources Wales, there hasn't been this massive increase and, in fact, it's in line with pollution instances over those 20 years. As I said, you did...
Andrew RT Davies: Obviously, there's quite a difference in rural housing and the supply of rural housing, which very often falls foul of some of the sustainability goals, such as bus services, for example, that regrettably have been withdrawn over recent years, and we can have a debate and discussion about that. But, very often when people put forward applications for new housing in rural areas, they fall down...
Andrew RT Davies: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, in light of comments made today by Rhodri Williams QC describing the legislation as 'toothless'? 314
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that very broad response, Deputy Minister. It is a fact that a judgment does sit there now that has been handed down by the High Court, which calls the Act, 'deliberately vague, general and aspirational and which applies to a class rather than individuals.' What is really important is that, in light of this judgment, do you as a Government now believe that the Act does need to...
Andrew RT Davies: Because it was poorly crafted.
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, obviously the Government are considering the consultation responses from 'Brexit and our land'. It is imperative that, if we are to protect agricultural land, conservation and the productivity of that land to produce our food are held in equal weight. Can you confirm that Welsh Government look at both aspects as being important in the future of maintaining the quality of Welsh...
Andrew RT Davies: Counsel General, I've had some correspondence with the Permanent Secretary in relation to the use of the transcript from the inquest and, in particular, special advisers instructing civil servants to look at diaries. Now, it was my understanding, and I've had that confirmed from the coroner, that the transcript should not have been used, other than for the specific purpose that it was...
Andrew RT Davies: Organiser, could we have a statement from the transport Minister, please, in relation to the train network and the new roll-out of the service that Transport for Wales are undertaking across Wales? I appreciate that it was only in October that the franchise was taken over, but, in evidence to the transport and the economy committee, James Price, the chief executive of Transport for Wales,...
Andrew RT Davies: Earlier in the question session, people were highlighting the Rugby World Cup in Japan and the long-established trade links that we have with Japan, Minister. What benchmarks have you set for success with the various missions that will be going out on the back of the world cup to Japan? Rather than just measuring it in cups of coffee and Welsh cakes drunk, it is important that we can measure...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon, and the tone of the statement in particular. I can remember responding to one of the earlier statements, which talked of 'land managers' and, sort of, erased the farming community, and I don't think that was the Minister's intention, but the language, certainly, in this afternoon's statement is far more helpful, I would suggest, to give...
Andrew RT Davies: In light of the Welsh Government's declaration of a climate emergency, will the First Minister outline his plans for the government-owned Cardiff Airport?
Andrew RT Davies: Minister, one thing that impressed me, when I was health spokesperson for the Conservative group, around bereavement support was when I visited Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham—a wonderful hospice, I would say, that offers great support to individuals in the last weeks and days of their life. And at that particular time, they had a specific project to support young people affected by...
