Mr Neil Hamilton: ...trade, our employment laws. We shall continue to pump our squillions across the Channel. Our laws will remain subject to Euro-judges. Only one significant thing will change: we shall lose our representation in the EU institutions and, with it, our ability to block harmful new laws. Why is Britain, the world’s fifth economy and fourth military power, contemplating a form of thraldom...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you very much, John, for those points. Just to reassure you, it's not just the one letter that we've written to the UK Government expressing concerns about their approach to partnership with us on these very important issues. Obviously, those discussions are going on on a regular basis with our officials. I attended, on behalf of the Welsh Government, the UK drugs summit, where I also...
Jayne Bryant: ...confidence to confidentially come forward and raise concerns without a fear of this often sensitive information being shared. It's also incumbent on us to make sure that we're encouraging wider representation in the political system. This will only be possible if we have a culture that is truly inclusive and enabling. It's therefore deeply disappointing that recently a number of complaints...
Luke Fletcher: ...money, or we'll receive less than we did when we were part of the EU. Westminster's levelling-up agenda has so far meant more powers for Westminster, more money for Tory seats, and less funding and representation for Wales. We deserve better. But what does 'levelling up' actually mean? So far, all we've been presented with is an array of competing competitive and opaque...
Russell George: ...been jeopardised. The report raises a number of very serious concerns about Powys County Council’s children’s services department, which the report says has placed children at risk of harm. I note you’ve said today that you’ve had assurances from the chief executive and the leadership of the county council yourself that children are now safe, but can I ask: are you yourself...
Julie James: ...health board would be in a position to meet those expectations consistently, and we are very happy to have those conversations. Indeed, we have been having those conversations for some time. That's not to say, however, that the local planning authority cannot consult the health board outside of it being a statutory consultee, and we certainly recommend that as good practice. The local...
Siân Gwenllian: ...the duties would be on that level. Our amendments to this debate today focus on the need to introduce a new electoral system, namely a single transferrable vote, STV, in order to secure equitable representation for each political point of view. The Sunderland report was published in 2002. Yes, that’s quite some time ago, but it was a very thorough report and it concluded that the...
Delyth Jewell: ...say that members of the public listening to this debate might well be forgiven for thinking its subject matter is quite abstract. Talk of LCMs, Standing Orders and conventions may seem like they're not accessible, but these principles and conventions could have very real, concrete consequences for our democracy and the relationship between this legislature and Westminster, not just for...
Paul Davies: ...of the additional recurrent annual costs that could arise from an additional 20 or 30 Assembly Members. And I fully accept that these costs should be considered in the broader context of democratic representation in Wales. As a consequence of Brexit, there will no longer be Welsh MEPs, which I understand is the equivalent of funding 24 Assembly Members. I therefore accept and agree that it...
Dawn Bowden: ...Again, you need to listen to the rest of what I'm going to say, because I am dealing with how I feel that buildings like this do need to be dealt with. I do recognise that what I've said so far is not the answer that the campaigners want to hear, and I know that they have requested a peer review by heritage organisations in England and Scotland, but further review is inappropriate as a...
Helen Mary Jones: I'd like to ask the Trefnydd for three Government statements, please. I'd first like to ask her to make representations to the Minister for Education for a statement about the financial sustainability of the higher education sector in Wales. I ask this in the light of concerns that have come to light about the possible job losses at the Lampeter campus of University of Wales Trinity Saint...
Alun Davies: ...-Sunders raised in her contribution with regard to the lack of competition for some seats in some parts of Wales. But I, and I would suggest that you too, will have to acknowledge that there is not sufficient support currently to move to this system. Without general support across the country, I don’t believe that we should force or impose change of the electoral system on people. We...
John Griffiths: ...in our communities and to get the support they need. However, we also heard evidence that, in a number of areas, the Welsh Government needs to do more to help delivery partners. It needs to make representations to the UK Government, refresh its strategic direction, and get directly involved in delivery. It is gratifying that the committee’s work made a significant impact during the...
Caroline Jones: ...wheelchair to catch a bus so that he can meet his friends and live as independently as he wishes. But very often there is insufficient room on the bus to take him, so he waits in all weathers for another bus to come along; he waits hopefully that this will happen. So, this desperately needs addressing. The previous framework, although far from perfect, was widely welcomed, as it outlined...
Mick Antoniw: ...in this debate as the Chair of the first ever Welsh parliamentary committee dedicated to the scrutiny of our constitution, legislation and now justice. So, this is a historic first for Wales, not only in our development as a parliament creating laws, but also in the emergence of our own legal system. My committee will be developing a programme of work aimed at scrutinising our existing...
Jeremy Miles: I thank the Member for that range of questions. He started by talking about the parliamentary response to the Prime Minister's deal reflecting the very simple principle that it was not good for the country, and I think in that simple phrase he's hit the nail on the head. That is fundamentally the reason why there is no progress being made in Parliament. He asked a question in relation to...
Jane Hutt: ..., local government, public bodies and business. I'm glad that I've been able to share the draft plan ready for consultation with the shadow social partnership council, where, of course, we have not only trade unions but employers, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the private sector, as well as the third sector, embracing the plan and recognising...
Jeremy Miles: ...under the law—something that has become increasingly important since repeated cuts have been made to legal aid and to other services designed to advise those in need of assistance or representation. We are the custodians of the Welsh statute book, made up not only of the laws made by this Assembly and the Welsh Ministers, but also those pre-devolution laws that we have inherited. That...
Ken Skates: ...number of fraudulent cases, it made sense to apply the VAT criteria, but we were very clear when we launched ERF phase 1 that we were also looking at how we can assist in phase 2 those who are not VAT registered, and we will do that with the second phase. But I would want to make sure that we avoid widespread and significant fraud, because every £10,000 grant that goes to a fraudulent...
Jeremy Miles: ..., and Education Committee regarding provisions dealing with consent for the passage of funds to collaborating bodies. At Stage 2 I explained that removing these provisions in their entirety would not be appropriate as there remains a need to ensure funding passing from directly funded providers to other bodies is subject to appropriate controls. Ensuring that we have a general consent...
