Jack Sargeant: I thank the Minister for taking an intervention. You were talking about the Government playing a part, but employers have to play a part. The Member from the Welsh Conservatives before mentioned working conditions. Does the Minister agree with me that the best way to have better working conditions is by joining a trade union?
Jack Sargeant: It may be a surprise to Members after yesterday, but I will be supporting this motion, I welcome this motion by the Welsh Conservatives today. But I must say to the Member who opened today's debate, he might be getting a little bit ahead of himself if he thinks there are going to be no amendments to future debates here. But, on cross-party support, I can see the Members for Preseli...
Jack Sargeant: I thank the Member, Rhun ap Iorwerth, for tabling this important question today, and I'm very much in line with what he has said already. Minister, can I slightly change the question a bit? And the announcement is clearly worrying for many individuals and many families across north Wales, and these are quite clearly tough times, and it's very difficult to absorb shocks like this in the...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer. Could I commend the Minister for the work she has done in this area, not just as a Minister or Member of the Senedd, but of course in her previous role as a trade unionist? And I put on record my proud membership of Unite the Union, a community union, here today. I did listen with interest when you mentioned a shorter working week in your statement....
Jack Sargeant: Deputy Presiding Officer, it is not surprising, because it was a Bill brought forward by a Labour Member of Parliament. But the heckles that this turned into from the benches over there simply reinforce the message, don't they? They reinforce the message that the UK Conservative Party do not care about ordinary working people in Wales and across the UK. First Minister, will you join me in...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Prif Weinidog. Members will know that the UK minimum wage is £8.91. The new average wage at P&O is £5.50, and this was brought in after they unlawfully sacked their loyal workforce without consultation. As the First Minister rightly says, this is a disgraceful, illegal act by P&O bosses, and it is one that is unacceptable to me. First Minister, the silence from the...
Jack Sargeant: 4. What discussions has the First Minister had with the UK Government about Welsh residents who have been unlawfully sacked by P&O? OQ57905
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog, for the answer there. The First Minister explained just yesterday the challenges that we're facing in dentistry at the moment in Wales and across the United Kingdom. But residents in Alyn and Deeside are very much feeling the pinch of those challenges, and they are coming to me, as their directly elected Member of the Senedd, because they are struggling to see an NHS...
Jack Sargeant: 7. What is the Welsh Government doing to help residents in Alyn and Deeside access an NHS dentist? OQ57849
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Prif Weinidog. The Resolution Foundation recently carried out research that found, after COVID hit, people under the age of 34 are more likely to face unemployment or precarious work. I'm sure our colleague from across the Chamber Tom Giffard will have seen that I've used my own social media channels to reach out to young people, asking them for their own experiences. First...
Jack Sargeant: 6. How is the Welsh Government supporting young workers in Wales? OQ57854
Jack Sargeant: I thank the Welsh Conservatives for tabling today's motion. Each day is a learning day, because I found out that Alun Davies was in Government, and I associate with the former Minister's comments earlier in his contribution with regard to scrutiny by this Senedd and the committee work it should be doing. Every day might be a learning day, but it's also different, because I find myself...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Commissioner, for that answer. I'm grateful for the work the Commission has done during the pandemic and what it continues to do. If I may, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'll declare an interest at this point as the Chair of the Senedd Petitions Committee, and as the Chair of the Petitions Committee, I want the people of Wales to see it as their committee; they shape our agendas...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch, Counsel General. And you'll know—. Ensuring people in Wales have full and proper access to justice, as Members will know, is a clear passion of both of ours. And you will have heard me raise many a time in this Chamber, Counsel General, the injustices of the Post Office Horizon scandal, and the tragedies of Hillsborough and Grenfell. I applaud you and your leadership in this role,...
Jack Sargeant: 3. What conversations has the Counsel General had with the UK Government to ensure Welsh residents do not face barriers to justice? OQ57789
Jack Sargeant: 4. Will the Commission make a statement on how it encourages the public's participation in Senedd committees? OQ57792
Jack Sargeant: I welcome today's update from the Deputy Minister. There is plenty I could talk about this afternoon, but I won't test the patience of the Presiding Officer, and I hope the Minister and I can work together in this field constructively in the future. But if I may, if I can pick up on one specific point in your statement today, and that's about cyber security, because it is the case that...
Jack Sargeant: I'm grateful to Jayne Bryant for tabling this extremely important question today, and it's right, if we are going to promote renewables, that we need to look at where we invest and where others invest for us, and that is a key part of this. First Minister, you'll be aware of a growing campaign to divest public sector pension funds away from fossil fuels to create the space for the key...
Jack Sargeant: What discussions has the Welsh Government had with local government colleagues about local authorities' public sector pension scheme investments?
Jack Sargeant: I welcome the statement today, Minister. It's not just these benches who welcome the statement, I think most Members of the Chamber do. I know that the opposition spokesperson looks like he's wearing a tie from our party today, but even he welcomes the majority of it, as do our colleagues in the Trades Union Congress, of course. But I think it's worth noting, as well, what we've delivered as...
