Huw Irranca-Davies: ...introduction where it says that previous analysis by a group on diversity in local government established by the Welsh Government, 'On Balance: Diversifying Democracy in Local Government in Wales', noted that the profile of councillors in Wales is predominantly white, male with an average age of about 60. I think that's me. We're not all bad, by the way, but the problem is when we all look...
Mark Reckless: ...that before, but UKRep is having to change what it did and is looking to Wales, to be fair to the CBI and to some of the other larger private sector organisations, for how it adjusts its diplomatic representation to a world that will have a greater focus on soft power rather than institutional levers within the European Union. I want to say a bit about the Basque and the Quebecois...
Mark Drakeford: ...with his questions as best I can. He asked for an account of the latest state of play in relation to discussions on inter-governmental relations. And I'm sorry to begin with a less than positive note, but he will know that a review of inter-governmental relations was agreed at a JMC plenary 18 months ago—agreed between my predecessor, Carwyn Jones, and Prime Minister Mrs May and Nicola...
Lynne Neagle: ...in which the committee improved the Bill was to include a duty on local authorities and NHS bodies to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which came as a result of our representations and those of the children's commissioner. Flying Start is regarded as one of the Welsh Government's flagship early years programmes. We chose to undertake a focused inquiry on the...
Elin Jones: ...of you joining us in this building for such a momentous week for our national Parliament, Senedd, as we celebrate our twentieth anniversary. Many of us were there at the beginning, in May 1999, in another Chamber, in another century. On that first day, we were excited and nervous in equal measure, and responsibility weighed heavy on us, as we elected our first Llywydd and first First...
Vaughan Gething: ...them. It's why I've written to the UK's Qatari ambassador, because again, when the First Minister met him, he was given assurances that everyone is welcome. I haven't received a response. It's not unusual not to receive a response within a week. But part of the point is setting out very clearly our own expectations and the fact that we expect our fans to be able to be their true authentic...
Alun Davies: ...afternoon. I want to listen to those concerns and those questions. I want to seek to answer them today and during the Stage 1 scrutiny, but I’m also prepared to listen again if those answers are not sufficient. I think it is important that, as a Government, we not only listen to what is said here but across the professions and listen to practitioners and continue to listen. So, this is...
Andrew RT Davies: ...have children who feel fulfilled and feel content, that has a direct impact on their health as well, then, it does. I see the Cabinet Secretary acknowledging that he’s familiar with it. It’s not just here in Cardiff we need to see that ability, it’s across Wales, and I do commend ACT for developing a satellite hub in Caerphilly to offer the same sort of initiatives and opportunities....
Janet Finch-Saunders: ...questions tomorrow, so no doubt I'll be teasing some of the more contentious points out. But, you know, reform in any guise, however required, can be contentious, especially given that this is yet another attempt by your Government to get a grip of a failed local government system, and it's failed under a Welsh Labour Government. I don't blame our hard-working staff, our officers or our...
Rhianon Passmore: ...route areas. The Welsh Government has led the way in strongly demanding that Wales's railways are properly funded. Earlier this week, in direct response to Welsh Government's continued and vocal representations, Network Rail has unveiled a £2 billion cash pot of public money for the historically underfunded Wales and borders routes from 2019-24. This is the first time the funding plan for...
Angela Burns: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to thank everyone who took part in today's debate, and I'd particularly like to thank David for drawing us all together, cross party, to make representations. I think we have to be crystal clear about that word 'cancer', it is something that still today strikes fear and panic in most people's hearts. We still see it as 'the big C', the thing that can come out and get...
Janet Finch-Saunders: ...lead to misdiagnosis, which is why it is so very important that we raise critical awareness of the potential meaning of these symptoms. I want to make it clear that this campaign, this debate, is not calling for population-wide screening. The Cabinet Secretary has made it clear that this would create concern about a significant number of unnecessary referrals and investigations. Therefore,...
Jane Hutt: ...impacted their mental well-being and their lives. It is also a terrible fact that, across the UK, six in every 10 of COVID-related deaths were of disabled people. Many of these deaths were not the simple inevitable consequence of impairment, with many deaths being clearly rooted in socioeconomic factors. Today, I'm not only reiterating that this Government recognises these inequalities,...
Julie James: ...research, or SBIR. Working with small and medium-sized enterprises, this spends around $2.5 billion each year, developing solutions for federal government needs, and uses procurement spend, not government grants. In the UK, SBRI contracts with companies have increased from under £15 million in 2010 to over £50 million this year. A wide range of innovative products and solutions have been...
Julie James: ...£23.6 million as a result of the Welsh Government's final budget allocations. This includes £13 million to support local services overall, recognising the responses to the consultation and the representations made by Assembly Members; £1.2 million to provide an improved settlement floor; £7 million a year recurrently to support the increase to the capital limit in charging for...
Hannah Blythyn: ...how we approach fair work across Government, providing us with a common approach underpinned by legislation. Promoting and encouraging fair work will no longer be a policy choice, where 'do nothing' is a potential option for Ministers and officials, because we will be under a duty to take action. The Bill will also introduce a duty on Welsh Ministers to report annually on the activities we...
Angela Burns: ...think this is a really interesting step forward by you, Minister. I mean, let's be honest, you'd think our NHS would be candid enough, but as most of us have casework that demonstrates that that is not so, we absolutely need a duty of candour because it's about trust and honesty with patients, particularly if a service user has suffered unexpected or unintended harm and where the provision...
Vikki Howells: ...as well as the Chair and the clerking team for their excellent work on this vitally important topic. The list of stakeholders who contributed is lengthy and extremely diverse and I think that's not surprising, really, because we all know how important access to banking is, and how strongly people feel about the withdrawal of major banks from our high streets up and down Wales. As a...
Kirsty Williams: .... When reflecting on the many excellent schools that I have had the privilege to visit over the last year, it is clear to me that each benefits from high-quality leadership. Our challenge, as noted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, is to ensure a whole-system approach to leadership, and to make it a prime driver of our education reforms. To succeed, every school...
Vaughan Gething: ...in anyone's mind about the contribution of key workers during the pandemic. The people who have kept us going throughout the height of the pandemic in the different ways we've experienced—workers not just in health and social care but in manufacturing, police, the armed forces, education, transport, utilities, local and national Government, postal workers, essential retail, food...
