Natasha Asghar: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support the decarbonisation of transport? OQ57685
Natasha Asghar: Thank you, Deputy Minister. Deputy Minister, if you're serious about combating climate change and tacking the frequent delays on our railways, you must ensure Wales has a modern rail service. However, your own Government's figures show that 69 per cent of Transport for Wales trains are over 30 years old, and 44 per cent are 35 years or older. This presents an opportunity to replace our ageing...
Natasha Asghar: I fully support the proposal that St David's Day should be a bank holiday here in Wales, and I'd like to thank my colleague Tom Giffard for leading the debate here in the Senedd today. A bank holiday on our national day will bring our nation together to celebrate our history, our achievements, our distinct culture and our diversity. As someone born and bred as well as living in Newport, you...
Natasha Asghar: Minister, thank you so much for your statement. I must say, I really did appreciate everything you said. International Women's Day is a moment to recognise past achievements, I 100 per cent agree with you when you said that, and to look at the future challenges is also vital for each and every single one of us. As a proud Welsh woman, I'm delighted to be sitting amongst so many hard-working...
Natasha Asghar: How is the Welsh Government supporting people living with cancer in Wales?
Natasha Asghar: Minister, the UK Conservative Government has provided Wales with £175 million to help hard-working families in Wales with a financial lifeline to help ease the pressure of the cost of living. [Interruption.] 'Yay', exactly. I welcome the Welsh Government's decision to follow England and provide £150 cash rebate for homes in council tax bands A to D, and to create a discretionary fund to...
Natasha Asghar: Russian tanks moving westward, cities being shelled and under siege, long columns of refugees trying to escape the fighting. You would be forgiven if you thought I was referring to events in Germany at the end of world war two. Sadly, that is not the case. President Putin, by his reckless, unjustified and illegal invasion of Ukraine, has turned the clock back and brought war to Europe. There...
Natasha Asghar: What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the cost-of-living support package is an effective means of addressing the crisis?
Natasha Asghar: First Minister, in June last year, it was reported that Wales has the highest proportion of children in the UK being cared for by the state. There were 7,170 children being looked after away from home in Wales, which is actually 1.14 per cent of the children. As you and my colleague Rhys ab Owen mentioned, the rate has increased significantly here in Wales, and this trend is a cause for...
Natasha Asghar: Deputy Minister, last week, the Law Commission made a number of recommendations for a new safety regime to help protect against a range of threats to coal tip safety and to ensure a consistent approach is taken to all tips in Wales, in response to which you made a statement yesterday. In your statement, you said that the Welsh Government does not have the funding to ensure that coal tips are...
Natasha Asghar: What plans does the Welsh Government have to improve transport infrastructure in North Wales?
Natasha Asghar: Minister, I'm sure that you'll recognise, and from the answers that you've given so far, you definitely do recognise the importance of keeping people in employment to support them through the cost-of-living crisis. So, just to clarify, in addition to the UK Government's £9 billion package to help families in the UK with their fuel bills, including a £150 council tax rebate for households in...
Natasha Asghar: 3. How is the Welsh Government co-operating with UK Government departments and agencies to protect animal welfare by preventing the illegal importation of dogs through Welsh ports? OQ57924
Natasha Asghar: Thank you so much, Minister. The UK Conservative Government is seeking views from the public and industry on plans to safeguard the welfare of imported puppies and dogs. The Dogs Trust points out that, currently, only, and I quote, 'a "document and identity" check on imported pets is required by the rules of PETS, this is conducted by ferry and Eurotunnel staff with no expertise in animal...
Natasha Asghar: I feel like I need to take a breather after that. Okay. First, let me begin by saying Wales has a unique landscape, a unique history and a unique culture. For years, especially during the lockdown, and recently over the Easter break, all of us saw visitors arrive in Wales to enjoy our mountains, our countryside and our beaches. Many come to Wales to visit our castles, our historic houses, as...
Natasha Asghar: First Minister, I'm sure you can agree with me that even in normal times the financial impact of cancer diagnosis can be devastating, with people facing reduced incomes and increased costs of living. The pandemic and the increased costs of living have worsened the situation, with many people having to contend with increasing energy bills, as well as the financial impact of their cancer...
Natasha Asghar: Minister, may I ask for a statement from the education Minister about accountability and the rights of parents in schools in Wales? The reason I ask for this is because I'm dealing with a case on behalf of a constituent whose daughter suffers from anxiety and is currently waiting to be assessed by the child and adolescent mental health service. The pupil has been excluded from school as a...
Natasha Asghar: Minister, people living in rural areas who are not online are usually excluded due to problems in broadband provision, as my colleague Carolyn just mentioned. Both with fixed line and mobile broadband services, it's often the case that both are a problem for constituents. Digitally excluded people are some of the heaviest users of health and social care services and risk being left behind by...
Natasha Asghar: 7. What action is the Minister taking to promote awareness of the rights of older people? OQ57962
Natasha Asghar: Minister, pension credit is a top-up for our most vulnerable pensioners and is worth an average of £3,300. As well as a cash top-up to the state pension, it is a bridge to accessing a lot of other benefits, such as help with housing costs, heating bills, council tax reduction schemes and free over-75 tv licences. It's estimated that around a quarter of people who could claim this extra help...
