Janet Finch-Saunders: School closures. Since 2006, we’ve seen 157 school closures under a Welsh Labour Government—60 per cent of these rural. Plaid Cymru-led Ceredigion has seen 20 rural school closures; eight in Gwynedd and six in Conwy. And under the independents in Powys, 18. Many of these overlooking the consultation process returns, just going ahead mobhanded. As a final point, our amendment calls for the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I can’t, I’ve already—. They will be looking for those who will stand up for change, to support our children, older people and our family households; those who will stand up for transparency, democratic accountability and financial probity and those who will seek protection for our vital services, whilst keeping council tax in proportion. Tomorrow the message is clear: ‘Ymgeisydd...
Janet Finch-Saunders: It is somewhat regrettable that I do feel the need to stand and fundamentally oppose the general principles of introducing this Bill through the National Assembly for Wales. I do so on behalf of the Welsh Conservative Assembly group, but also on behalf of our taxpayers in Wales. Last year, the UK Government Trade Union Act 2016 was passed by Royal Assent after considerable consultation and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: No. Ultimately, funding for this activity comes out of the public purse. The Taxpayers’ Alliance found that, in 2014, unions were provided with over 273,000 sq ft of office space by public sector organisations in the UK. The market value of such office space in Cardiff would be over £6.2 million, yet unions were charged just £307,000, meaning the taxpayer is actually subsidising union...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I can’t. [Continues.]—yet, we’ve been offered no firm evidence to support this assertion. Further, it is concerning to note that whilst those giving evidence in committee spoke of the apparent low cost of processing payroll deductions, not one could provide an actual figure for this. Prior to the UK Act, just 22 per cent of public sector organisations in the UK charge unions for this...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes. The Welsh Conservatives fundamentally oppose the general principles of this Bill and we will be voting against this motion today. I ask other Members with any conscience to support that aim.
Janet Finch-Saunders: You didn’t get a majority.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the First Minister make a statement on the special measures status of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board?
Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, grass-roots training in football is so often crucial to future development of young players to a more professional level. Currently, however, three of our four Welsh police forces are now investigating allegations of historic child sexual abuse at this level, with the Football Association chairman, Greg Clarke, calling this the biggest crisis in football. First Minister, in...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on support for businesses in the tourism industry? OAQ(5)0165(EI)
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Of course, the tourism industry in Wales brings in over £6.2 billion to our economy, 13 per cent compared to just 8 per cent in England, 10 per cent in Scotland and only 4 per cent in Northern Ireland, a direct contribution of £2.7 billion that equates to 6 per cent of our GDP. That’s predicted to grow to 7 per cent by 2020 and that accounts, of course, for...
Janet Finch-Saunders: A good question from the Member there for us in north Wales. First Minister, Visit Britain has launched Where Stories Become Legends, an international film tourism campaign with Warner Brothers, to coincide with the release of the ‘King Arthur’ film, parts of which were filmed in Snowdonia. How is Visit Wales using the Year of Legends campaign to collaborate on this? And what future plans...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Cabinet Secretary, less than 1 per cent of Welsh NHS expenditure is targeted towards child and adolescent mental health services, yet 5,400 children and young people are referred to local primary mental health support services for assessment each year, with a further 2,355 waiting several months for their first out-patient appointment. Latest figures now show that 73 children and adolescents...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the health service in Wales? OAQ(5)0634(FM)
Janet Finch-Saunders: I have to be honest with you, First Minister, I stand here today not very confident of that, and I’ll tell you why: since your own Government interventions and special measures were placed on Betsi Cadwaldr university health board two years ago, 227 per cent more patients are waiting over 12 hours in A&E and 194 complaints came in last year—this is actually 30 per cent of the total of all...
Janet Finch-Saunders: With all due respect, you’ve allowed longer questions—
Janet Finch-Saunders: Right. My question is: at what point do you believe that you will withdraw special measures, believing that your interventions have helped in any way? Because I can tell you now, my constituents—
Janet Finch-Saunders: With three national parks, and four and a half areas of outstanding natural beauty, designated landscapes account for 25 per cent of our nation, and I would like to also pay tribute to the officers and staff at Snowdonia National Park, much of which lies within my constituency of Aberconwy also, for their hard work and tremendous efforts to protect and upkeep our spectacular areas, our...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 1. How will the Cabinet Secretary ensure greater democratic accountability with any local government reform going forward? OAQ(5)0131(FLG)
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Cabinet Secretary, Conwy County Borough Council, as you know, are now planning to move in to brand-new, state of the art buildings, with an original estimated cost of £35 million, but, of course, this was under the previous administration. However, freedom of information revelations now show that this cost has risen from £35 million to £58 million and has the potential to rise...
