Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Families in north Wales are feeling the pinch thanks to the Tory cost-of-living crisis. I welcome the additional support that the Welsh Labour Government has put in place to help with costs related to the school day. The additional funding to extend free school meals in holidays, the cash boost to help with school costs and the extension of the...
Carolyn Thomas: 7. How is the Welsh Government supporting parents in north Wales with the cost of the school day? OQ57858
Carolyn Thomas: Can I thank the Minister and can I welcome the steps that Welsh Government has taken to support disabled students to live independently whilst accessing higher education? But during a recent meeting with Citizens Advice Denbighshire, it was highlighted to me that new regulations introduced by the UK Government has made it harder for disabled students in non-advanced education to qualify for...
Carolyn Thomas: 7. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Education and Welsh Language about measures to support disabled students to access higher education? OQ57793
Carolyn Thomas: I'd like to say thank you to Rhys for a minute of his time and bringing the important debate to the Senedd today. When I first entered local politics, I did so because I firmly believed in the importance of communities. I recently spoke to a social enterprise in Bethesda who had worked to buy a building of note, to save for the benefit of those living in the area. But, at the last moment,...
Carolyn Thomas: I welcome the Welsh Government's commitment to building 20,000 low-carbon social homes and establishing a national construction company to help councils build social housing. I look forward to the implementation of rent controls and hope that the Welsh Government will also investigate the possibility of a right to rent as well as continue to explore a land value tax to replace council tax....
Carolyn Thomas: I declare that I'm a Flintshire councillor, and, as such, I'm proud that Flintshire County Council were the first in a generation to build new council houses, building 300 new council houses for rent and 200 affordable houses as well. Speaking recently to our head of housing, there is a shortage of materials—wood, glass—and also skilled workforce since Brexit and the pandemic, causing an...
Carolyn Thomas: Okay. Right. Sorry. Thank you. Okay. I declare I'm a Flintshire county councillor. During the budget debate, we've discussed the importance of the public sector in delivering front-line services, contributing to the well-being of the nation and employing local people. Along with the healthcare sector, the councils are one of the biggest employers, providing local jobs in local areas. And I am...
Carolyn Thomas: Sorry. I was nearly passing out before with a face mask on. If I take it off I can breathe again. Sorry. Please can I declare I'm a Flintshire county councillor? During the budget debates, we've discussed the importance of the public sector in delivering front-line services, contributing to the well-being of the nation, and I know across—. Sorry. Can I just give up?
Carolyn Thomas: Please could I also declare that I am Flintshire county councillor? I will be standing down after 14 years in May. During the budget debates, we have discussed the importance of the public sector in delivering front-line services, contributing to the well-being of the nation and employing local people right across the region. And councils—. Sorry, I'm looking at the wrong thing here. Sorry,...
Carolyn Thomas: Diolch. Minister, I welcome the statement and message regarding growing a stronger, fairer, greener Wales by investing in people and developing skills and confidence. I think confidence is really important. I attended a very interesting presentation at the women's cross-party group, chaired by Siân Gwenllian, on a care-led recovery, which would generate more employment than investment in...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for the answer, First Minister. Digital connectivity has never been more important, and urgent action is needed to ensure no community is left behind. For broadband infrastructure to be cost-effective, it will need to be designed comprehensively with long-term benefits in mind that serve everyone. Communities right across north Wales, including rural Wales, are underserved by...
Carolyn Thomas: 1. Will the First Minister provide an update on Welsh Government plans to improve digital connectivity in north Wales? OQ57754
Carolyn Thomas: Diolch, acting Presiding Officer. I must declare that I am a Flintshire county councillor. As such, I know that local authorities and their staff across Wales have such an important role, working with Welsh Government to deliver front-line services, aspiring for safe, clean and connected communities. Welsh local authorities must be adequately funded to enable them to deliver the high-quality...
Carolyn Thomas: First Minister, how do you think residents in the Vale of Clwyd will react knowing that Wales will be £1 billion worse off over the next three years as a result of a broken Conservative promise that we would not be a penny worse off?
Carolyn Thomas: When I travel along north Wales, either by rail or road, walk the coastal path or visit the beautiful seaside resorts, the view out to sea is of wind turbines, and those turbines are owned by German company RWE, who generate a third of all Wales's renewable electricity. They lease the land from the Crown Estate. BP have won the right to develop more wind turbines on the Irish sea after the...
Carolyn Thomas: I have long supported rent controls and I back any move to address the poverty caused by unreasonable rent increases. The UK's housing market has been in crisis for decades. The fundamental foundations of the system have been broken. The idea that everybody should be entitled to a roof over their head, like so many other areas of our economy, is now subordinated to the whims of market forces...
Carolyn Thomas: May I please declare I'm a Flintshire county councillor? The 9.4 per cent uplift to local authorities in Wales is welcome, as is the three-year budget, which will help with planning. I am aware the provisional settlement in England provided a lower uplift of 6.9 per cent to councils, and with the assumption that they raise their council tax by the maximum permitted without a referendum. And...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you, First Minister. I recently met with Friends of the Earth regarding encouraging supermarkets to retrofit doors on fridges and freezers, or ensure that they have doors on when they are upgraded. I understand that the Petitions Committee discussed this in the last Senedd term, and some supermarkets responded to say they believed it would affect consumers' impulsive purchasing. I think...
Carolyn Thomas: 7. What conversations has the Welsh Government had with the retail sector about improving energy efficiency towards zero carbon? OQ57627
