Luke Fletcher: According to Steffan Lewis, the first appearance in the Chamber is the worst, and it gets easier after that first time, and, given the fact that many of the questions I wanted to ask have already been asked, I do hope that the future sessions will be far easier than this one. So, this is me talking for the first time as a representative for South Wales East, and I do want to take the...
Luke Fletcher: I just want to emphasise a point actually that Adam has made, and Peter as well. As we emerge from the pandemic, the restart grants are going to become more important. For example, pubs in Scotland are eligible for restart grants of up to £18,000, whilst most pubs in Wales will be eligible for £7,500 at the absolute most, with many small community pubs only eligible for £2,500. I would...
Luke Fletcher: As I've said previously, I know there are many businesses that are grateful for the support they've received so far, but there must now be, I think, some recognition from the Welsh Government of the cost businesses are facing as they reopen. I come back to the hospitality sector in particular here, given all of the years I spent in the sector. For example, restocking perishable goods and...
Luke Fletcher: Will the First Minister provide an update on the closure of the level crossing in Pencoed?
Luke Fletcher: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on investment in the railway network in south-west Wales? OQ56557
Luke Fletcher: I'm grateful to the First Minister for his written answer to my question relating to the Pencoed level crossing on 26 May. It's encouraging to hear that the final designs and costs of the project will be finalised this year. I fully appreciate that projects of this complexity and scale can take a significant amount of time, however I would say that whispers of this project have been around...
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to begin by saying congratulations to the Minister on his new post. I haven't had a chance to say it to him in person yet, but I'm sure that he's as excited as I am to have a constructive relationship going forward. Since the establishment of devolution in 1999 and full law-making powers in 2011, no Welsh Government has undertaken legislation aimed specifically at...
Luke Fletcher: I thank you for that answer, Minister, and I'm encouraged to hear about the social partnership Act. As he knows, Plaid Cymru has been very supportive of that throughout the process, and I'm looking forward to working with him on that point and, as well, to working on, potentially, looking at some legislative options going forward. If I can turn to a confidence issue that we are seeing with...
Luke Fletcher: Thank you, Minister. The reality is in Wales, of course, that the one institution that can give the confidence to SMEs is the Government. We know that the SMEs themselves bring the drive and entrepreneurship; they're a vital resource for their drive, their passion and their expertise in their relative fields. However, to secure this drive and investment, SMEs need certainty. Long-term...
Luke Fletcher: I think one important thing to mention when we talk about mental health and the climate emergency—and, of course, I’m very grateful to Delyth for bringing this short debate forward—is, of course, job security. Tackling climate change has to be a priority, and that, for me, is where the idea of a just transition comes in. It means moving our economy to a more sustainable one, in a way...
Luke Fletcher: Could I ask for a statement on the accessibility of the public transport network in Wales, please, not just relating to the actual trains and buses themselves, but bus stops and train stations, particularly the stations that aren't staffed? A number of constituents have raised with me the lack of sheltered seating and room for wheelchair users and people with prams, and, in one case that I'm...
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendments tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian. We welcome the opportunity to debate this important issue in Government time. The UK Government has consistently misled the people of Wales on levelling up; from HS2 to the shared prosperity fund, and now the levelling-up fund, Wales stands to lose money, or we'll receive less than we did when we were part of the...
Luke Fletcher: —they used as part of the metrics for this fund, such as household income. The average annual household income in Caerphilly is approximately £15,000 per head, which is substantially lower that the UK average of £21,000, and lower than every single English region. I know my colleague Delyth Jewell will be going into some more detail on this later, and as Hefin David just said, he'll also...
Luke Fletcher: How is the Welsh Government ensuring that every child in Wales has the right to access Welsh-medium education?
Luke Fletcher: 5. How does the Welsh Government protect the right of every child in Wales to access Welsh-medium education? OQ56659
Luke Fletcher: Thank you for that response, First Minister. May I draw your attention to Bridgend county for a second? Several families in my home town of Pencoed face a situation now where they won't, perhaps, be able to send their children to the closest Welsh-medium school. Instead, they'll have to choose between sending their children even further away to have their education, or choose English-medium...
Luke Fletcher: I'd like to obviously thank Huw Irranca-Davies for bringing forward this motion to debate. I think both Huw and I have a shared interest locally as we both hail from the glorious constituency of Ogmore—myself in Pencoed and Huw, of course, in Maesteg. And, of course, I think it's fair to say that both of us have family members who often rely on bus services to get to work or to attend...
Luke Fletcher: What additional support is the Welsh Government providing to local authorities ahead of the 2022 local elections?
Luke Fletcher: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. There's a lot to welcome in today's statement. It's very similar to the Plaid Cymru offer during the election. We look forward to seeing the detail, and we'll be keeping an eye on its implementation to ensure it delivers for young people in Wales. It's positive to know that the Welsh Government is looking at other examples, not just in the UK, hopefully, but in the EU...
Luke Fletcher: The Minister won't be surprised to hear that Plaid Cymru is very supportive of UBI, and we look forward to seeing the final proposal from the Government on the pilot. Very quickly, has the Minister approached the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that there's an arrangement in place so that any basic income payment isn't counted against any recipients who might also be in receipt of...
