Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Llwydd, and today we’ll explore not only what more can be done to promote employee ownership in Wales, but whether indeed we can introduce a workable Welsh Marcora law. And my thanks to the Business Committee for selecting this proposal for debate and to other Members of the Senedd for supporting the request. I’m looking forward to hearing the contributions today and the...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'll respond very briefly. Can I first of all just thank everybody who's taken part in this debate? It's been well worth while. I've enjoyed it all, and I'll try and respond briefly to some of the contributions, finishing with the Minister. First of all, to Joel. I welcome the contribution and the criticism of this as well, because we need that challenge. But I would...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I'm really glad to hear that you're not opposed to the idea of employee ownership and co-operative models of worker ownership. I would just say to him, don't look back at that 1980s model. Actually look at working with us on what a new model would look like to achieve exactly the same end. That brings me to Vikki Howells, who spoke to us in a tale of two halves, very like the Tower story...
Huw Irranca-Davies: First of all, could I ask the Minister to pass on my thanks to Transport for Wales and transport police in south Wales for a very effective response to my raising concerns about the decreasing use of face masks on local journeys by rail from Ogmore into Cardiff? They've implemented a series of measures and they're showing some progress now, actually, with transport users, but we'll keep an...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Diolch and good afternoon, Minister. I fully welcome the statement today, particularly on the back of the launch of the Wales net-zero strategy. As you've said, it's a live document, but it shows a really high level of ambition, and it will drive some really serious changes in the way that we live and that we work and that we travel. It carries implications for all of...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. As the Minister has outlined, this debate follows on from the Senedd's decision at the end of December to consent to the UK Government's Environment Bill. We considered the supplementary memorandum and the correspondence related to it at our meeting yesterday, but the Senedd will understand that we've not had time to report formally. But can I say right at the outset that we...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 2. What measures will the Welsh Government take to improve the speed of hospital discharge for patients in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area? OQ57087
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, thank you for that answer, and the question I'm asking about my own health board area you could equally replicate across Wales, where there isn't one answer, but it is a question of getting the right resources across those range of factors that will help to speed up discharge. And, of course, there's the importance of this for patients within hospital and freeing up important beds,...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I seek your wise counsel on how we can get a very specific matter raised here in the Siambr. It could be through a debate on community land ownership, or, indeed, the role of the Crown Estate, or something else that could help resolve a long-standing issue in the gorgeous Garw valley. We've got a former colliery rail line that is now a much-loved but somewhat neglected community footpath and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you very much, Llywydd, and I speak as the committee Chair now. We considered these regulations at our meeting yesterday, following a request from the Welsh Government to expedite our scrutiny, and our report was laid immediately afterwards.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Our report raised what Members will now recognise as quite familiar merits points under Standing Order 21.3, namely highlighting any potential interference with human rights, and the lack of formal consultation and equality impact assessment for the regulations. We acknowledged the Welsh Government’s justification in relation to these points, as set out in the explanatory memorandum....
Huw Irranca-Davies: So, on this occasion, we agreed to write to the Welsh Government to seek clarification, and to highlight the importance of Welsh citizens being able to understand the law that applies to them. Thank you very much, Llywydd.
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. We considered these regulations at our meeting yesterday, following a request from the Welsh Government to expedite our scrutiny, and our report to the Senedd contains two merits reporting points.
Huw Irranca-Davies: As the Minister has already said, these regulations allow for electors to apply for an emergency proxy vote at certain local government by-elections held between the coming into force of these regulations and 28 March 2022. This will allow the electors to comply with the relevant legislation, Welsh Government advice, or the advice of a registered medical practitioner in relation to...
Huw Irranca-Davies: It is right that we as a Senedd show the respect and the recognition of the sacrifice that our armed forces personnel, men and women, have made over many, many years, and we will stand together in the coming days and on Remembrance Sunday to remember the sacrifices that have been made; those who have returned, who have been injured, physically or mentally, from their role in protecting our...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Can I commend, genuinely, the leadership that's been shown by Welsh Government and all Ministers, not just now but in the run-up to COP as well? It has been fantastic to see. We've got a lot more to do—a lot more to do—but we hope that that same leadership is shown by the end of COP, in these last couple of days, in making good and making real the offers to small nation states and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Let's be clear: it is only men who are involved in spiking. It's only men who are raping and abusing women after rendering them unconscious; it is a men problem, not a women problem. Yet we are now in a situation where women are being told how they can make themselves safe, where nightclubs and bars and police and support groups offer measures to help women keep themselves safe. Now, these...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 7. What discussions has the First Minister had with UK Government Ministers about the community renewal fund? OQ57196
Huw Irranca-Davies: First Minister, the difficulty with this and the lack of engagement is the lack of fit within the policy framework in Wales, with the future generations Act, our approach to economic investment, our approach to jobs and skills and our approach to developing and integrating the higher education sector within the work that we do to power the economy forward. If we have random input of funding...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, I wonder if you'd give way on that.
