Michelle Brown: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. One way to reduce teacher workload, apart from reducing the amount of paperwork they're required to do, which I didn't hear you mention, would be to reduce class sizes. This is something that I feel quite strongly about. That would be to the benefit of both teachers and pupils and go a long way to delivering the world-class education that I know...
Michelle Brown: Thank you, Presiding Officer. In April last year, a survey conducted by the Education Workforce Council at your behest found that 90 per cent of teachers said they were unable to manage their workload. One of the teaching unions said that the survey showed that many in the teaching profession are at breaking point. At the time, you said that, as a priority, you were determined to tackle the...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. I think every Member here is committed to seeing that children and young people in Wales receive an education that is inspiring, motivating and provides them with the skills they need to fulfil their potential, as you said in your statement. We have very different ideas about how that can be achieved, but I think everybody is approaching this...
Michelle Brown: The reason I'm asking about this is that children who have been put in local authority care are already disadvantaged because of all those ACEs that you spoke about—that will have had an impact on their education. They're going into care, which has an impact on their education. What the state can do is give them additional schooling to actually give them a leg up—schooling that wouldn't...
Michelle Brown: Okay, thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that answer. The reason that I ask is that the announcement that you made back in May and what you've just said—there's not very much in there about any details of how extra support for this group would actually manifest itself. Although you've announced positive actions in the past, have you actually considered making additional teaching...
Michelle Brown: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can the Cabinet Secretary tell me the details of any additional educational provision that is made for the looked-after children in Wales, please?
Michelle Brown: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement and your announcement of the abolition of HEFCW and the creation of a new commission. I would be interested to know how you foresee these commissioners will be appointed. Will it be put out to an open tender, advertising for applicants, or will it be, essentially, an in-departmental appointment of the commissioners? We've seen the results of...
Michelle Brown: The self-proclaimed party of the NHS really, really doesn't seem up to the job. Even using the excuse that it takes a while to turn around a health system once it's in special measures doesn't cut it, since Labour have been governing Wales for two decades now, and Betsi Cadwaladr got into its current state on their watch. Blaming Westminster is also tenuous at best, as Labour make a great...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Minister. May I say 'congratulations' on your recent appointment? I'm sure that the other Members here will agree with me that, in an ideal world, no child would be taken from their family to be looked after by the state. No matter how caring or dedicated the staff looking after children in care are, there is no substitute for the security of a stable family...
Michelle Brown: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the commissioner's report, and would like to thank her for all her hard work to date and for producing the report. The commissioner says, and I quote: 'My vision is for every child in Wales to have the equal chance to be the best they can be'. This is a laudable vision—one I hope we all have—but why does it take someone outside Labour's...
Michelle Brown: What assessment has the First Minister made of the effectiveness of the management of Welsh health boards?
Michelle Brown: Let me first say that, as things currently stand, I would be very concerned to see any fracking in Wales. It’s not been proven to be safe, but neither has it been proven that it cannot be made safe. I also agree with much of what Simon Thomas and Lee Waters have said about the dangers of fracking, which is why the concept of fracking in Wales really, really, really does worry me. Before...
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary, which certainly represents a step in the right direction. The statement’s entitled ‘recruitment of teachers’, but I can’t really see where you’re talking about the recruitment of teachers generally in addressing the fundamental problems that have been identified with recruiting teachers into Wales. I see three concrete announcements...
Michelle Brown: Yes, go on.
Michelle Brown: Point 3. So, consequently, UKIP will be supporting amendment 2. As regards the other amendments to the motion, relating to amendment 1 by Labour, I note that Welsh Labour may now be spending some money in north Wales—at least they promised to, and we’ll see if those plans come to pass—but I don’t think that Welsh Labour have anything really to boast about, though. Yes, money is being...
Michelle Brown: I endorse the sentiments expressed in points 1, 2 and 4 of Plaid’s motion. It’s very true that the performance of the economy in north Wales needs to be strengthened. In particular, we need to build an economy in north Wales that allows its people to earn more while allowing them to keep more of their own money. I also regret the historic underfunding of north Wales, as do so many other...
Michelle Brown: I do support the objective of upgrading social housing, I really do, Cabinet Secretary. But I would like to ask what analysis have you made of the cost to the social landlords of upgrading the houses and the likelihood of that cost being passed on to future tenants via rent rises?
Michelle Brown: What plans is the Cabinet Secretary putting in place to make sure that the right to fish off the west coastline is prioritised for Welsh fishermen and not just boats registered in Wales post Brexit?
Michelle Brown: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. I commend Qualifications Wales for conducting this research and for publishing the report. I also agree with the sentiments you express in your statement, Cabinet Secretary. It is interesting to note that the report comments that there has been no substantive research into the views of professionals on early and multiple entry for examinations....
Michelle Brown: No. The remainers in this place keep talking about the damage of uncertainty when they try to argue against enacting the will of Welsh voters over Brexit, but then they’re happy to leave the issue of business rates uncertain and ill-defined. A country-wide set of hard and fast rules is required, despite Labour’s occasional whim to let businesses off business rates on the odd occasion. I...
