Luke Fletcher: I'd like to associate myself as well with some of the words Sarah said about how mental health can show itself in many different ways. I'm sure the First Minister is aware of the event held before the recess by myself and Huw Irranca-Davies for Men's Sheds Cymru, highlighting the vital work men's sheds do across Wales within all of our communities. I know that it's a source of pride for many...
Luke Fletcher: 6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the urban centre property enhancement fund in the Bridgend local authority area? OQ57768
Luke Fletcher: I thank the First Minister for that answer. I was recently contacted by Nadim, who was awarded a grant from the fund to renovate his business, Zia Nina, in Bridgend town centre. After the awarding of the grant, Nadim began the necessary work, including planning and architectural designs, but has struggled to find builders to complete the work on time due to difficulty in acquiring the...
Luke Fletcher: I wish to call for two statements, and I'll try and keep it within two minutes.
Luke Fletcher: One minute, then. [Laughter.]
Luke Fletcher: Firstly, I would like to ask for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being on residential mental health facilities in Wales. I've recently been contacted by a constituent who is under the care of a mental health team in south Wales who, due to lack of local facilities, was referred to a residential unit based in London. After a resident at that unit tested positive...
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you to the Minister for his statement. There's much to welcome here, but I'd like to focus on a couple of points. Access to high-quality employment is strongly linked to mental health: 43 per cent of unemployed people report poor mental health, compared to 27 per cent who are in employment. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has noted...
Luke Fletcher: The Farmers Union of Wales has warned that the proposals contained within the refreshed TB eradication programme will have a detrimental impact on farmers' mental health. This of course when we are already seeing 50 agricultural workers take their own lives each year, as well as veterinarians being three to four times more likely to commit suicide than any other profession. In light of that,...
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. In this Senedd and previous Senedds, a number of us have adopted a threatened species in our regions or constituencies. Before this place, before the beard, I wanted, when I grew up, to be a marine biologist, so, presented with the opportunity to adopt a threatened species, there was no better place to look than in the waters that surround Wales. And that's why I'm...
Luke Fletcher: 5. Will the First Minister provide an update on policies to tackle youth homelessness? OQ57815
Luke Fletcher: Diolch. Last Wednesday in the Senedd Neuadd, End Youth Homelessness Cymru presented their road map to end youth homelessness. I'd like to thank Jane Hutt for sponsoring that event; it was incredibly insightful. One of the take-home messages for me was how we should listen to those young people who have experienced youth homelessness as we look to solve the issue. I was pleased to meet with...
Luke Fletcher: 4. Will the Minister provide an update on progress towards a Welsh welfare system? OQ57799
Luke Fletcher: I'm sure the Minister is aware of the work by the Bevan Foundation on the Welsh benefits system. Their analysis of the current situation is that although the Welsh Government has provided unprecedented levels of support, efforts are undermined by the complex way in which support is administered. The foundation suggests that a low-income family with two children would have to present nine...
Luke Fletcher: We've talked in this Chamber about education being an equaliser; with a great education, no matter your background, in theory, you can and will achieve whatever you set your mind to. Now, there's a lot to say on this statement, not least on the specific topic that we're debating today. Schools are assumed to be places of equity, where the potential of all is nurtured equally. And I don't...
Luke Fletcher: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you, Minister, for your statement. There is no doubt that the past two years have been challenging for the economy, and therefore it's important that we do look to the future in order to strengthen our economy and hopefully safeguard for the future as best we can. There are things to welcome, of course. As a member of the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs...
Luke Fletcher: If I could start on the role of co-operatives, Wales was hit hard by the pandemic due to its relative income poverty compared to other UK countries. We know that the poorest communities have been affected most, with those in low-paid and precarious employment being most likely to be furloughed or lose their jobs. As we look to recover from the economic damage of the pandemic, we should be...
Luke Fletcher: What support does the Welsh Government provide to shorten supply chains within Wales?
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, I listened with great interest to your response to Paul Davies, both yesterday and today, on the Cardiff capital region's absolutely shocking boast about relatively lower graduate pay in Cardiff compared to counterparts elsewhere in the UK. These comments, while supposedly to attract inward investors into the region, are ultimately insulting to our young...
Luke Fletcher: I have to say I find it difficult to accept that the Cardiff capital region isn't promoting low wages, and of course the explanation given by yourself as well yesterday in response to Paul Davies that the way this has been reported has been miscast, I hope you'd forgive me in saying that I find this nothing more than a bit of spin. I'll read directly from the prospectus, and I quote here:...
Luke Fletcher: —reflects the ongoing trend where wages in Wales have stagnated for far too long under successive Labour Governments. But I do hope that the Minister in his time in this portfolio will buck that trend, and I sincerely mean that. But how does he propose we tackle the brain drain when there are public bodies in Wales promoting a low-wage economy, and how can we measure his success? Because I...
