Mr Simon Thomas: Diolch, Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, can I refer you to Part 2 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, which sets out a statutory framework for tackling climate change? But, at present, as you’ll know, it’s just a framework with no short-term targets or a delivery plan. Can you outline when and how you’re going to introduce these targets and an emissions reduction plan, and can you confirm...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Cabinet Secretary at least for confirming on the record that the 40 per cent target is still there, because it was missing from the programme for government. But she will know that the recent report by the UK Committee on Climate Change says that we are, unfortunately, highly unlikely to meet our 40 per cent reduction target, and I do wonder how we might do that under the...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Cabinet Secretary. I think we certainly noticed that the programme for government was rather thin and so it’s worth asking what is part of the Government’s programme at the moment. I certainly look forward to examining how carbon budgeting can work within the Assembly and the impact it will have on the Government’s own budget process. But can I turn now to another Act that...
Mr Simon Thomas: 11. Will the Minister make a statement on a national marine plan for Wales? OAQ(5)0043(ERA)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you for that response, but I’m sure you would agree with me that this plan is long overdue. We’ve been awaiting it now for so long and it is disappointing that we won’t see it until next summer. But would the Cabinet Secretary confirm that the plan will be based on habitat or ecosystems management, and that that, more than the spatial plan, will drive this plan?
Mr Simon Thomas: David Rees makes an important point, I think, that many of the volunteers who are asked to pick up the pieces when local authorities withdraw services are themselves service users, and very often carers as well. A recent example that has come to my attention is Newtown day centre, which is proposed to be closed for logistical and financial reasons, and the burden that then puts on the local...
Mr Simon Thomas: Would the Member give way?
Mr Simon Thomas: I’m grateful to the Member. I’ve met, as he has, I’m sure, with many of the groups that he’s mentioned in his speech. He talked about the action plan. Surely, one of the things we should be looking at is to examine how the action plan works and how, in the fullness of time, we might need to put that on a statutory footing to ensure the right access and the level playing field that...
Mr Simon Thomas: Will the Minister give way?
Mr Simon Thomas: I’m grateful to the Minister. I find it hard to reconcile what she’s telling the Chamber today with what the First Minister told me on 28 June, when I specifically asked him about an autism Act and he replied as follows, and I quote: ‘ that is being considered at present…in terms of seeing in what way we can develop legislation on autism, and particularly whether we can ensure that...
Mr Simon Thomas: In launching your legislative programme, First Minister, you mentioned two pieces of legislation that were a matter of discussion between our two parties, namely the autism Bill that’s already been mentioned, and another Bill relating to the reasonable chastisement of children. Can you confirm that, during this Assembly term, you as First Minister are still going to bring forward...
Mr Simon Thomas: May I thank the Minister for his statement and for the mature and constructive way in which he’s discussed the draft budget with my colleague Adam Price? The budget will now be out for consultation. You will first of all appear before the Finance Committee tomorrow morning to kick off this process. May I ask you, in terms of all of the committees that will look at the budget over the next...
Mr Simon Thomas: May I start by thanking the Cabinet Secretary for bringing a comprehensive statement to the Assembly this afternoon? And may I say at the outset that there has been a void in terms of policy in terms of what the Government has proposed to do in eradicating TB in cattle, in the fact vaccines weren’t available and the fact that the Government had been reliant on a vaccine to deal with the...
Mr Simon Thomas: 3. Following his statement on 11 October, will the Minister confirm what funding will be available for the remaining European structural fund programmes from 2014 to 2020? OAQ(5)0034(FLG)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response, and I tell him, of course, that we all hope that it will be possible to retain as much of this funding as possible within the pot for as long as possible. Now, may I draw his attention to one particularly successful scheme in Wales, which is the Sêr Cymru scheme, to attract researchers and scientists to Wales? The ‘Science’ magazine, over...
Mr Simon Thomas: 1. What provision has the Commission made for electric vehicles at the Assembly? OAQ(5)0001(AC)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: Can I anticipate your travel survey and say that I want to get an electric car? But I can’t, living in Aberystwyth, travel down to Cardiff if I can’t charge it here. So, why don’t we take that step? Why don’t we show that we’re going to be leading the way in responding to climate change and the environment and put that infrastructure here? By all means, charge for charging. Some of...
Mr Simon Thomas: I’m very pleased to follow my colleague on the Finance Committee, and I agree with a lot of what Mike Hedges has said, apart from perhaps his final comments on STV. I think this is an important debate, because we are trying to tease out in the debate further information from an important statement that the Cabinet Secretary made some weeks ago on the future of local government. Plaid Cymru...
Mr Simon Thomas: I’d like to thank the committee for the very detailed and comprehensive work that they’ve done on the Wales Bill, and particularly thank the Chair for outlining so clearly, I think, the concerns that the committee has with the Bill, and that are related to the Bill in going forward, if the Bill had not been amended in the way that the committee has recommended. We’ve had a pledge, of...
Mr Simon Thomas: May I recommend the Machynlleth Comedy Festival? It’s certainly worth a visit, and it’s used as a practice ground for the Edinburgh festival, so the quality is excellent.However, can I turn to cycling? You’ve just mentioned one of the important tours that takes place in mid Wales, but there are all sorts of opportunities to develop cycling in mid Wales, for holidays and major events,...
