Mark Isherwood: Diolch. Thank you for your statement, which is obviously becoming a weekly occurrence at the moment. Questioning you last Tuesday, I referred to your written statement update about the Homes for Ukraine scheme on 21 April. In your subsequent update on support for Ukraine last Thursday 28 April, you referred to the latest UK Government figures and stated that, as of 27 April, 2,300 visas have...
Mark Isherwood: Diolch. Well, self-catering accommodation is key to a tourism sector in north Wales. Questioning you last month, I highlighted concerns raised with me by actual legitimate Welsh holiday let businesses that your local taxation proposals would devastate them, quoting business owners who told me, 'I fear we'll end up bankrupt', and, 'How could council tax be charged on cottages that have...
Mark Isherwood: 5. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Economy regarding the provision of financial support for the tourism sector in North Wales? OQ57916
Mark Isherwood: 'there is clearly an appetite for such BSL legislation across the Senedd chamber. We will continue to pursue this on behalf of the D/deaf community'. Although I've continued to submit bids for a private Member's Bill in this Senedd accordingly, I've not yet been successful. My motion noted that my proposed Bill would ensure that the deaf community and people with hearing loss have a voice in...
Mark Isherwood: As we've heard, in February last year, my motion proposing that the Senedd notes a proposal for a Bill that would 'make provision to encourage the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in Wales, and improve access to education and services in BSL' was passed here with cross-party support, no Member voting against, and Welsh Government Ministers routinely abstaining. As I then stated,
Mark Isherwood: Diolch. Well, this is another issue on which we are in agreement. As our Welsh Conservative manifesto stated in 2016, we would: 'Support the role of Police Community Support Officers, and work to realise their potential in tackling crime.' And, as our 2021 manifesto states, we would: 'Increase funding for Police Community Support Officers each year, and expand the Safer Streets fund'. Will...
Mark Isherwood: Responding to claims that families who need to travel together cannot do so because just one family member, often a child, will have their visas delayed, the Home Secretary stated yesterday that the refugees Minister, the honourable Member Lord Harrington, went to the region just 10 days ago to find out why and what more could be done to bring families that have been granted their visas over....
Mark Isherwood: I thank you very much for the statement. I'm just trying to reconcile—there are so many figures flying around from different people and different places. If I make some mistakes in consequence, no doubt you'll pick me up on those. But your written statement update about the Homes for Ukraine scheme on 21 April said the latest figures published by the UK Government then showed that 1,500...
Mark Isherwood: I call for a single statement on funding to rescue the curlew from imminent country-level extinction. Last Thursday, 21 April, was World Curlew Day, shining a light on the dangers that curlews face as a result of shifting factors, primarily loss of quality habitat and increasing predation. Last Thursday was also the feast day of St Beuno, the patron saint of curlews in the traditional Welsh...
Mark Isherwood: Diolch, Llywydd. Sorry, hearing aids and masks don't go together.
Mark Isherwood: This week marks World Autism Acceptance Week, which aims to help change attitudes towards autistic people. The National Autistic Society, which is marking its sixtieth year, wants everyone to understand autism better, and highlights the top five things that autistic people and families themselves want the public to know: that autistic people may feel anxiety about changes or unexpected...
Mark Isherwood: Well, I recently met a Flintshire mum and dad whose son was denied autism diagnosis because he doesn't present autistic traits in school, masking and suppressing most of his tics and anxieties. They told me: 'He's well behaved in school, but will have a meltdown when he comes home after having a bad day.' The same day, I wrote to you on behalf of a different constituent whose daughter with...
Mark Isherwood: 4. How is the Welsh Government ensuring support for pupils with additional learning needs in North Wales? OQ57868
Mark Isherwood: What action is the Welsh Government taking to assess and meet the need for rented homes?
Mark Isherwood: I thank the Minister for keeping me updated privately—another call yesterday. When I asked you last week why the Welsh Government still didn't appear as a supersponsor option on the UK Homes for Ukraine website, unlike the Scottish Government, you stated that the Welsh Government would become a supersponsor last Friday and, therefore, I'm pleased to see that it is now an option on the...
Mark Isherwood: How does the Welsh Government support the tourism sector in North Wales?
Mark Isherwood: I thank the Minister for ringing me on Monday on the train to brief me on this, and I also note the update issued by the Welsh Government this morning, which states that they continue to work closely with local authorities, the NHS, other public services and the third sector to ensure support is available for people fleeing the conflict and arriving in Wales through the Homes for Ukraine...
Mark Isherwood: I have relatives in Flintshire who themselves have struggled to access an NHS dentist, who thankfully recently received treatment after weeks in great pain. We know that, in January, Betsi Cadwaladr insisted that action is needed to address dentistry in north Wales, after 83 dental posts were lost in Wales during the year, and the British Dental Association warned that significant numbers of...
Mark Isherwood: In addition to UK Government-supported signalling renewals on the north Wales main line and over £1.2 billion UK Government funding for the Liverpool city region, benefiting rail service and inter-city transport and economies in the Mersey Dee area, including north-east Wales, the Mersey Dee area has received £59 million directly from the UK Government, including £2.6 million for the...
Mark Isherwood: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the progress being made to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in Wales? TQ610
