Gareth Bennett: While setting tough emissions targets sounds very laudable, the unfortunate reality is that UK carbon emissions are dwarfed by those emanating from countries like Germany, France, Australia, the United States and, of course, China. Action to reduce global emissions can only effectively be taken at a global level and must involve binding legislation severely restricting the polluting impact of...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Mark, and thanks for your contribution earlier, but I find it difficult to agree that the Government is preparing to leave when we don't any longer have a leave date. We have 29 December 20XX—we have no leave date at all now. We're in an even worse position than when we started. [Interruption.] I'm sorry, no, you've had your chance now, thank you. Can we just take—? I've done...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for bringing us today's debate on Brexit. Thanks also to David Melding, who I thought made many pertinent points—he often does. Now, if I can look first at the wording of the Government's motion, it states that the Welsh Government 'regrets that neither Wales or Scotland are mentioned' in either the withdrawal agreement or the political declaration on the future...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you for the details of that initiative. Now, another thing I know that you have been involved with in the past is travel plan co-ordinators, who were supposed to be working with employers across Wales to encourage sustainable travel, and they were supposed to be encouraging things like car sharing and video-conferencing as well as flexible working and working from home. I have struggled...
Gareth Bennett: That sounds encouraging. I may give you another opportunity. Now, obviously, the point you made was, of course, not just infrastructure, so I was glad to hear about your business exploitation programme. Thinking specifically about the issue of getting companies to encourage more flexible working, and particularly working from home, are there ways in which you believe the Welsh Government...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. A few weeks ago, I tasked the First Minister with some questions on the issue of working from home. I think it's a valid issue for us to be talking about here in the Assembly, because there is the ever-increasing problem of congested roads, which, of course, is part of what Adam was talking about earlier. So, we do have to look at ways of getting traffic off the roads. Now,...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for bringing the debate today. It's an interesting subject, or a combination of subjects—a sporting one and an artistic one. I agree with much of what Llyr Gruffydd just said on the subject of the football museum. Llyr referred to Wrexham as the spiritual home of Welsh football. Of course, I'm a Cardiff City FC fan, but I totally acknowledge that the north-east corner...
Gareth Bennett: Well, I'm glad to hear that, leader of the house, and I hope that the fleet is back in good condition in good time for the passengers, and I hope the passengers will get the benefits of that. Passengers at the moment, though, are not just frustrated about train delays. In recent weeks, I've had complaints from constituents that, during morning rush hour, there have been long queues of...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, I appreciate the problems that were inherited by Transport for Wales, of course, but I do wonder whether some of the things that Transport for Wales have recently been presiding over are difficulties of their own making. For instance, it's been well publicised that around 25 to 30 per cent of the fleet covering Wales and borders has been removed for servicing and repair. Of course, I...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. On the weekend, I had the pleasure of using local train services across northern England and Scotland. The trains ran on time, services connected with one another, and there were plenty of seats for people to sit on. I think it's fair to say that people using trains in Wales aren't receiving quite the same treatment. Leader of the house, are you and your Government in full...
Gareth Bennett: There can be an additional problem, apart from what we've discussed so far, and that's the problem of stigma surrounding the condition of dementia. Can the Welsh Government do anything to help reduce this stigma surrounding the condition?
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that answer. That's encouraging to hear. Problems can be caused when people with dementia have to go into hospital, particularly if staff are not trained to meet the needs of those patients. What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure hospital staff at all levels understand how to care for and support people with dementia?
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. A couple of weeks ago in the Assembly, I met with representatives from the Alzheimer's Society. During this meeting, I and some of my staff undertook a training and skills session to become dementia friends. The object of becoming a dementia friend is to learn some of the logistics of dementia—what dementia is, what causes is, what are the symptoms. Most importantly, it's...
Gareth Bennett: I thank you for your answer, but there has been a certain amount of concern about this, even within Cardiff council. Cardiff council's planning officer, Lawrence Dowdall, has recently stated that Cardiff may now have an oversupply of student accommodation. Planning committee member Wendy Congreve, who is a Lib Dem member, described one recent development as 'a cynical use of the planning...
Gareth Bennett: Well, it is, as you say, a matter for the relevant local authority in part, but I feel that this is an area where the Welsh Government should be concerned. I think you do have an important role to play in monitoring this. I have raised this issue with your housing Minister, who said she's keeping an eye on this, but she did point out that it may fall close to the remit of your planning...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, there is an ever-increasing list of building projects in Cardiff dealing, supposedly, with student accommodation. In the last three years, there have been 23 separate developments opened, approved or put under construction in Cardiff. If you stand on the junction of City Road and Newport Road in Cardiff, you can see eight separate developments, either under...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. Thanks to everyone who contributed to an interesting debate. If I can go through the contributions, Andrew R.T. Davies was telling us about some of the problematic aspects of the motion in that a lot of Welsh livestock actually crosses the border and goes over to England for processing. The Conservatives, in their manifesto in Wales, supported the installation of CCTV in all...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Today's debate relates to various aspects of animal welfare—an important subject, I'm sure we would all agree. And I'm therefore happy to move today's UKIP motion. UKIP believes that the welfare of farm animals from rearing to slaughter should be an absolute priority for the UK and Welsh Governments. The UK has some of the highest standards of animal...
Gareth Bennett: The example you just raised yourself two minutes ago was of hotel workers. It wasn't of high-paid consultants and high-skilled consultants, it was hotel workers. Would you consider, if you do become the next leader in this place, renaming your party 'Cheap Labour'?
Gareth Bennett: Labour seems to have moved into a position whereby it's coming up with the philosophical justification for cheap labour. Now, if there is a shortage of workers, workers can be attracted by increasing wages. This is a simple relationship. As you know, it's an economic relationship. You seem to be saying that you prefer the interests of big business—you cited the CBI—over the interests...
