Peredur Owen Griffiths: 5. How is the Welsh Government encouraging the growth of public transport use in South Wales East? OQ57211
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I was recently at COP26 and the overriding theme was that we need radical action to change our fate on this planet. This includes the way we approach public transport. It needs to be more attractive if people are to ditch their cars. Unfortunately, this much-needed culture change has been hampered by crowded scenes like the ones we saw after the Wales versus Belarus...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government about plans to introduce a health and social care levy for Wales from April 2023? OQ57187
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr. Much of the conversation about the health and social care levy in England has focused on older adults. NSPCC Cymru is concerned that children could be overlooked if we don't ensure that their needs are part of the conversation here in Wales. Data has shown that, on the UK level, the number of looked-after children is growing faster than the child population. At the same time,...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I preface my remarks by thanking the committee members for their work in scrutinising the Senedd Commission's draft budget for 2022-23? I'd also like to thank Ken Skates, the Senedd Commissioner for budget and governance, and Senedd officials for attending the Finance Committee to discuss their proposals. We appreciate the open and constructive manner in which the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: We made nine recommendations to the Commission relating to its proposals. I have received the Commission’s response to our report and I am pleased to see that eight of those recommendations have been accepted in full and one accepted in principle. The Commission’s draft budget sets out its intended expenditure for 2022-23 and contains proposals for a budget of £62.9 million, an overall...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Dirprwy Lywydd, budget scrutiny is at the heart of our work. As a committee, we want to be robust and rigorous and ensure that the annual budgets of the public bodies considered as part of our work are proportionate and justified. We believe that the Commission’s budget for the next financial year meets these criteria. However, we will be keeping a close eye on the Commission’s future...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Since my election, I've conducted many street surgeries, and a pattern that you often see at these surgeries, when my team are out in Blaenau Gwent, is transportation to the Grange hospital. I know it can take up to 45 minutes to travel from the Grange to Tredegar, for example, as I've done it myself, but if you rely on public transport, it can be a much harder and much more time-consuming...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The well-being of future generations Act that passed through this Senedd has been hailed by many as world-leading legislation. I thank the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee for the opportunity to debate whether the reality of this legislation lives up to its reputation. Although born from innovation and good faith, as the Act has unfolded over the past few years, it's clear...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I thank Jayne for granting me some time in this short debate this evening. I want to echo the points that she so eloquently made this evening, because I fundamentally believe it's time for a national conversation on substance misuse. As I said during my short debate earlier this term, the status quo just isn't working. It's failing families, it's failing communities and it's causing...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Trefnydd, I would like to raise the issue of drug addiction services in Wales. Following on from last week's short debate by Jayne Bryant and from the short debate I held on substance misuse earlier this term, this Government committed itself to making a compassionate approach to tackling addiction. It was heartening to hear the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being say, 'In Wales,...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I broadly welcome the statement from the Government today. People in Wales are generally living longer; it is estimated that in 20 years, a quarter of the population may be over 65. With an ageing population, publishing a strategy that makes life easier for older people is something that any responsible government should be doing, from the practical side of things....
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Whilst the pandemic has been difficult for many sections of society, older people have suffered more than most. The increased threat of coronavirus to their health has increased isolation and loneliness, taking a heavy toll on the mental and physical health of older people. The economic fallout has also had a big impact on older people. Since the start of the pandemic, 24 per cent of workers...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I'd like to thank Rhianon for granting me a minute of her time in this important debate this evening. I was reminded of the power of music during a concert and dinner to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Abertillery town band just a few weeks ago. The concert was superb and moved many people to tears. The dinner afterwards featured many powerful testimonies of how the band had brought...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 6. What is the Government doing to eliminate violence against women? OQ57336
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr. Last week, we saw the release of some disturbing figures for the Gwent area when it comes to domestic violence. The South Wales Argus reported that domestic abuse crimes have more than doubled in Gwent during the last six years. Despite legislation like the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 and high-profile campaigns like the recent...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Trefnydd, at the beginning of this month, correspondence was issued by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change to the planner for Persimmon Homes east Wales. The letter concerned a controversial plan to build 300 homes on fields around Heol y Cefn, Cefn Fforest, Bedwellty—controversial because this green space is much appreciated locally, and there are brownfield sites within close proximity...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: As we approach Christmas, this debate is particularly timely, and we've heard those words a lot this evening. But it reminds us of those who will go with nothing over the festive period. For these people, there will be no gifts, no feasting—there won't even be hidden parties that they can deny they attended. The best that most can hope for is a roof over their heads, enough heat to keep...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The grim and meteoric rise of foodbanks has a Dickensian feel about it. It pains me that so many people in Wales are in poverty, and so many are unable to do anything about it. This is true of older people who are on a fixed income and have no opportunity to increase it. Foodbanks have been an important safety net for people on or under the breadline, but older people find it harder to access...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: It's no surprise, therefore, that those entering hospital with undernutrition more than doubled in the seven years to 2017, with high rates among older people between 60 and 69 years of age. Since the publication of those figures, we've had another four years of a Tory Government in Westminster. Their reforms in the welfare state have led to significant cuts in public expenditure, social care...
