Mike Hedges: I think that David Melding raised a really important point, because far too much of current events, which will be looked at in history in the future, are ephemeral—they're being held digitally, and they will disappear. I think that's something that we need to all worry about. But two things I would like to raise. Two parts of Welsh history are often ignored. Firstly, the working class...
Mike Hedges: I've just been unmuted. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I also join my thanks to those people working in the essential part of our economy? We often talk about the foundation part of our economy; we're now discovering what the essential part of our economy is. I hope that we will use that term much more often. I've had a number of issues raised with me by constituents that I'd like to...
Mike Hedges: I'm being contacted by sole traders—driving instructors, photographers, plumbers—whose work has just ended. They've made enquiries and they've been told there is no support for them within the current system. Is that correct, and if it's not correct, can you ask whoever's giving that information out to tell them what support there is for them, because these are people who have just lost...
Mike Hedges: We know now which types of businesses have been missed by the support scheme. We've talked a lot about them this afternoon. Generally grouping, however, does not work. For example, in retail, supermarkets and online retailers are having the equivalent of Christmas every week, and those who, for example, are predominantly clothing and jewellery stores are closed. We have exactly the same with...
Mike Hedges: I want to make three very quick points on the Barnett formula and Barnett consequentials. Of course, the Barnett consequential is the minimum amount that we have to have; there's no reason why we cannot be given more than the Barnett formula, and we know that Northern Ireland quite regularly gets more than the Barnett formula. On the consequentials of English-only expenditure in devolved...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would like to talk about animal welfare. Can I just say that Andrew Davies is speaking for very many of us in the Assembly when he talked about the need for Lucy’s law? I believe there is virtually unanimous support for bringing in Lucy’s law, and can I say that the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee would do anything that you ask of us...
Mike Hedges: First Minister, on 1 May you announced that the Welsh Government would fund an extra payment of £500 to social care workers in care homes and domiciliary care workers throughout Wales: 'This payment is designed to provide some further recognition of the value we attach to everything' that social care workers do to 'support both our NHS and our wider society.' My questions are: when will it...
Mike Hedges: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Thank you very much for calling me in to take part in this debate. I'm going to look at the Welsh economy. It can be broken down into five parts: the essential economy, the bounce-back economy, the areas that can flourish with support, areas that require consumer confidence, and areas that will be very difficult to recover in the very short term. We know the essential...
Mike Hedges: Any decisions that we make now, we must make sure that there are opportunities for everyone to have their voice heard, to take part and to have a meaningful say. Thank you, Deputy Llywydd.
Mike Hedges: For.
Mike Hedges: For.
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the support provided to local media by the Welsh Government in order to keep residents informed during the Covid-19 pandemic? OQ55303
Mike Hedges: I'll unmute myself again—sorry. Thank you, First Minister. The media has been crucial for coverage of both the good and bad news in these challenging times, and, sadly, the coverage of lives lost has not been limited to coronavirus, but also we have seen the shocking killing of George Floyd in America and the horrific knife attack in Reading over the weekend. During the floods earlier this...
Mike Hedges: 3. Will the Minister make a statement on how homelessness has been reduced since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic? OQ55304
Mike Hedges: I'd like to thank the Minister for that response. I would also like to publicly compliment those employed by local authorities and the third sector who have worked on homelessness, to ensure that those who do not want to sleep on the street do not have to. I am—I'm sure the Minister is—concerned that there are some, despite all the best efforts of local authorities and third sector...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Llywydd. I was trying to find out where the unmute button was on the screen there. Can I say, before I start to address the first supplementary budget, I would like to make two very brief points, but I think they really are important? Firstly, I believe setting an initial budget and a supplementary budget are the most important things that the Senedd collectively does. Without...
Mike Hedges: 5. Will the Minister indicate the additional funding that is expected as a result of spending by the UK Government in England in areas devolved to Wales? OQ55346
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the Minister for that response? Some of us are suspicious of the way that the Treasury in Westminster distributes consequential funding to Wales, and what they include has a substantial effect on the Welsh budget. Will the Minister publish the amount of money to be provided, and the Treasury's calculation that produced the total for the consequential moneys provided to...
Mike Hedges: 1. Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government support for local Welsh-medium publications during the Covid-19 pandemic? OQ55349
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Minister. The importance of local Welsh-medium publications—Julie James, Rebecca Evans and myself do advertise on a monthly basis in our monthly Welsh-language publication, Wilia. So, what's the Minister doing in order to ensure the continuation of such publications?
