Mohammad Asghar: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the future of the free swimming scheme for children and pensioners, please? OAQ53285
Mohammad Asghar: Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government plans to increase public awareness of Welsh rates of income tax?
Mohammad Asghar: Minister, may I ask for a statement from the Welsh Government on proposals to relax planning laws to allow taller mobile phone masts to be built in Wales. Restrictions on mast heights were relaxed in England and Scotland in 2016 so that masts up to 25m do not have to go through the full planning process. The Welsh Government promised more than two years ago to look at the evidence before...
Mohammad Asghar: First Minister, Natural Resources Wales is key to delivering the Welsh Government's policy priorities for the environment. Last month, the results of staff consultation on plans by NRW to reorganise the agency were leaked to the BBC. The BBC reported that 62 per cent of staff were strongly opposed to the reorganisation plans and were highly critical of the process. A week ago, 10 timber firms...
Mohammad Asghar: Devolution was intended to significantly improve the economic performance of Wales. One of the arguments put forward in favour of devolution in the late 1990s was that Welsh interests were being neglected. We were told that the Welsh economy’s problems could only be solved by tailor-made solutions created here in Wales. And yet, Wales still has the weakest economy in the United Kingdom,...
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much, Minister. People with disabilities are likely to face greater costs when seeking elected office due to their disabilities. Last month, the UK Government launched an interim fund to help with disability-related expenses to encourage and support people to stand in elections. The EnAble fund for elected office will run until 2020 and will cater for candidates for the local...
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much for the reply, Minister. I know that your funding and—Welsh funding and European funding, how long that is going to be sustained. But a recent study into the state of birds in Wales found that one in three types of birds are in significant decline. In some cases, they're in danger of extinction in Wales. One of the reasons for this decline is the destruction of birds'...
Mohammad Asghar: 5. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's policy priorities for preserving Welsh wildlife? OAQ53229
Mohammad Asghar: 6. What measures will the Minister introduce to increase the diversity of local councillors? OAQ53228
Mohammad Asghar: Minister, may I ask for a question from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, following the publication by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs last month of an update on its bovine TB eradication strategy? Statistics within the update show that badger culling in the areas of England where the disease is endemic has significantly reduced the level of bovine...
Mohammad Asghar: First Minister, Dr Robert Jones's report for the Wales Governance Centre says that more people are being jailed in Wales even though Wales has a lower crime rate than England. And we all understand that we are the worst country in Europe for putting offenders in jail, here. The Ministry of Justice is considering banning prison sentences of less than six months in England and Wales, unless the...
Mohammad Asghar: What plans does the First Minister have to improve working conditions for teachers?
Mohammad Asghar: I'm thankful to Jack for giving me one minute of his time for this very important issue. Actually, it is a legal duty of the national health to protect our mental health, people, to make sure that local authorities and health boards improve and support people with mental health problems. It is a sad scenario that mental health problems—they can damage lives and weaken society. Three...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, you'll be aware that communities in Islwyn form part of the Cardiff capital region economic growth partnership. At their board meeting last November, those members in attendance stated their support for an M4 relief road to be built around Newport. They said that an M4 relief road is critical to support and enable the economic and industrial strategy for growth for...
Mohammad Asghar: Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's priorities for growing the Welsh economy in 2019?
Mohammad Asghar: May I ask for a statement from the Minister for Housing and Local Government on a matter of great concern to local residents living in Caerphilly County Borough Council? The council plans to increase council tax in the borough by nearly 7 per cent and cut its spending by £50 million. However, last month, the Labour administration voted to spend £242,000 on an investigation into pay rises...
Mohammad Asghar: What consideration has the First Minister given to appointing a Minister for poverty who would set clear and measurable targets to address poverty and deprivation in Wales and who would be accountable for the Welsh Government's anti-poverty strategy, please?
Mohammad Asghar: Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to expand general practice in Wales?
Mohammad Asghar: Undoubtedly, we live in a world where most of us cannot even function without our phones, tablets, laptops or PCs. I will admit I am not the most IT-savvy person on the planet, but I do know that the world is progressing at such a rapid speed and pace that we all here in Wales must keep up with it. Are we really doing it? You may remember that one of the arguments put forward in favour of...
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. When I came to the United Kingdom in 1970, I had done my BA in political science and sociology and was given the opportunity to study computers, or IT as it is called today, in London. IBM 360 model 30—it was much bigger than the Presiding Officer's whole table. In those days, computers were the size of almost a master bedroom, and it never ceases to...
