David Lloyd: Minister, in pushing ahead with clause 21 of the EU withdrawal Bill and in ignoring the Sewel convention, the UK Government is showing exactly what it really thinks of devolved legislatures in the United Kingdom. Coupled with the fact that the Conservative Party does not enjoy a majority in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, do you not share my concerns that this UK Government only speaks...
David Lloyd: Can I thank the Minister for his welcome to my new role? Plainly, I won't be as dazzling as my colleague Delyth Jewell in the role, but I hope to muddle through in my usual understated sort of way anyway. [Laughter.] In your written statement yesterday, you noted that you're due to host the next Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) meeting later this month in Cardiff, and that your...
David Lloyd: Diolch, Llywydd. Whilst the new Welsh Secretary, Simon Hart, last week stated that the UK shared prosperity fund, about which we've heard a fair amount already would not, I quote, 'drive a coach and horses through the devolution settlement', he has, unfortunately, not given a firm assurance as to whether the Welsh Government would control this new fund. Any loss of control over European...
David Lloyd: And 562,000 people can speak Welsh in the last census, 19 per cent of the population. That is a cause for absolute celebration and wonder that Welsh has defied all attempts at obliteration over the centuries. Now, bloodthirsty histories are not unique. Our particular bloodthirsty history here in Wales has, though, fuelled our absolute desire that our language will survive, that Wales will...
David Lloyd: When I speak Welsh sometimes or address a meeting that would otherwise be entirely in English, there are some individuals who may complain, particularly online later: 'Oh Dai, leave it go, lighten up, always banging on in Welsh, you can speak English.' But in evaluating our history as a nation and the history of the Welsh language, which encompasses centuries of oppression and bloodletting,...
David Lloyd: Can I commend what I also think is a tremendous report from the committee on the importance of Welsh history? Obviously, the genesis of this report was by popular demand, as the Chair outlined in her excellent opening remarks. I too am a bit disappointed that recommendation 2 has been rejected. It seems to dilute the centrality of the need for people in Wales to know their history, not just...
David Lloyd: Will the Minister make a statement on school absenteeism in South Wales West?
David Lloyd: As Chair of the health committee, obviously, I also rise in support of this NHS indemnities Bill and thank everybody who's been involved in the process thus far. Now, some of the misgivings with the Bill have been well aired both by Helen Mary Jones and by Angela Burns so I won't go down the same path, only to note that how various bits of legislation need thought in how they bed down...
David Lloyd: Minister, as Wales has reached the Euros this year again, this is an excellent opportunity to promote Wales to tourists—I hope that you'd agree. Businesses in my region, in South Wales West, are already asking what the Welsh Government is doing to use this important event to promote our excellent attractions, not only in that area but across Wales. Can you outline the work of the Government...
David Lloyd: Minister, in response to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's inquiry into dentistry in Wales, the Welsh Government failed to commit a single penny of new investment. The British Dental Association has stated that: 'The crisis facing NHS dentistry in Wales won't be solved with a few warm words'. Their words, not mine. Therefore, what discussions are you having with the health...
David Lloyd: 4. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Health and Social Services with regards to the future funding of dental services? OAQ54875
David Lloyd: 10. Will the Minister make a statement on the promotion of tourism attractions in South Wales West? OAQ54874
David Lloyd: As the Member who leads on local government for Plaid Cymru, I'm very pleased to take part in this debate this afternoon. We're all aware of the pressure facing local government services and the financial pressures that are increasing, and these were clear back in the days when I used to be a county councillor in the City and County of Swansea, and pressures are worsening and budgets are...
David Lloyd: Now that the dust has settled on the general election, it is clear that the separate nations of the United Kingdom have once again chosen different paths, and only in England do the Conservatives have a majority. Wales will once again be under the rule of a Conservative Government even though it did not vote for one. Once again, Wales gets the Government that England wants. For how much...
David Lloyd: May I congratulate Helen Mary Jones for bringing this debate forward and for her wonderful opening remarks, which set out all the decisions that need to be taken? I also congratulate the Royal College of Nursing on this wonderful report on implementing the nurse staffing levels 2016. In terms of the progress made, there has been some progress made, as Helen said, but certain challenges...
David Lloyd: Thank you for that, because statistics by the Wallich show an increase in the number of rough-sleepers on Swansea's streets, and when I've been out with the homeless soup run—and Leanne has been out as well on the homeless soup run in Swansea—the evidence is stark, actually. It's particularly poignant coming up to Christmas, as we are now. So, with the wild public spending bonanza...
David Lloyd: Thank you for that. Turning back to housing and rough-sleeping matters, as you'll be aware, the housing support grant is pivotal to enabling various agencies, like Cymorth Cymru, Community Housing Cymru and Welsh Women's Aid to deliver those oh-so-valuable services to counter homelessness and rough-sleeping on our streets, yet funding for housing-related support has reduced by £37 million in...
David Lloyd: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, you may have noticed that there's possibly a general election happening very shortly, but in view of that, it's emerged that students in Cardiff have been told that they won't be able to vote tomorrow because of an administrative error that is not their fault. I'm told that Cardiff council have admitted that around 200 of the 1,000 people who gave invalid addresses...
David Lloyd: Will the Minister make a statement on tackling homelessness in Swansea?
David Lloyd: Now, we have declared a climate emergency, we have the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and we have serious levels of air pollution damaging health and killing people now, today. That's 2,000 deaths per year in Wales. We have increasing asthma levels, we have increasing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease levels, we have a legacy of pneumoconiosis from the miners,...
