Mabon ap Gwynfor: I thank the First Minister for that response. The Government, of course, has a target for constructing social housing, and they are very much needed to tackle the waiting lists for housing. There are proposed housing developments at present, but contractors are finding it difficult to deliver some contracts because of the huge increase in the cost of materials and labour. Sawn timber has...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: 8. What steps is the Government taking to support the social housing sector in light of the increase in building costs? OQ57948
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Thank you to Peredur for bringing forward this debate, because it is an exceptionally important one, particularly bearing in mind that in a number of the HMOs that we have, if you think about places such as Bangor, Aberystwyth, Swansea, Wrexham and Cardiff—those areas where there are universities—it's students who make up many of the residents of these HMOs. I want to refer you to an...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you all for the very thoughtful and very constructive contributions to this debate today. I agree with the Deputy Minister when he referenced Janet Finch-Saunders's contribution and her concern at the number of people not receiving enough money to cover rent, and I'm really glad that she's now realised that there is a crisis, and will contact the...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Research from the Bevan Foundation shows that, by the autumn of last year and across the 10 local authorities they looked at, only 3.8 per cent of all properties on the market were advertised at rates that were at or below LHA. The situation was more acute for those in shared accommodation, with worse effects for single people under 35 with no dependants. Furthermore, not a single shared...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Let's begin with a fact, something that we all know. We're in the midst of both a housing crisis and one of the worst cost-of-living crises in living memory. These crises that we face are interlinked. The housing crisis—or rather, many of the most pervasive problems rooted in housing—is driving the cost-of-living crisis, and, in turn, the cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating the housing...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I want to put on the record my declaration of interest, which is on the public record. May I also say that I note that it's the Deputy Minister responding today, and that we all on this side of the house extend our sympathies to the Minister at a difficult time for her and her family? I wish to formally move the motion.
Mabon ap Gwynfor: No, I won't, sorry. These businesses are crying out for help now—[Interruption.]—and the Tories are turning their back.
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I've written to Rishi Sunak and asked him to reverse the damaging cuts. I wonder if you'll join me and write to Rishi Sunak as well and encourage him to reverse these cuts. The Tories are right that tourism is an important sector, and it does need our support. We need a sustainable sector, one that benefits each community and ensures that the wealth created is...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: I won't take an intervention at this point, I do apologise, with all due respect.
Mabon ap Gwynfor: I won't take an intervention in this contribution, sorry, Andrew. I do despair sometimes at the tactics of the Conservative Party. This motion is referencing the potential of a tourism levy, and is nothing more than a distraction from the failings of your own party down the road, the M4, in distant London. The crocodile tears that we see from the Conservatives deceive no-one. Conservatives...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: I do regret, I have to say, when I see Conservative motions before us. This motion demonstrates that that group has no interest in making a constructive contribution, but rather it discusses the potential tax that may be introduced at some point in the future. There's going to be a consultation, there is no certainty, but there we are, we're wasting time discussing something that we don't...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Thank you to the Deputy Minister for coming before us to give her response. But the truth is that there are several people who've contacted me and others here over the past few weeks to complain and express their concerns that they have been exempted from this bonus. Indeed, they say now that there are two tiers in the workforce in the care homes and that they, as auxiliary workers, feel that...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: As we know, the sector is integral for our food security. As we've noted, it has huge potential. However, like other sectors, it too is suffering the consequences of the multiple crises facing society today. The fishing fleet is having to make fewer trips per week, or have to focus on the near shore as they have to regularly maintain set gear in the hope of enough catch to cover the costs....
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Thank you very much, Minister. I'm sure that response will give hope to some in the sector at least.
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Thank you very much, Llywydd. I want to focus on Sam Kurtz's first question, if I may.
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Official figures on the Welsh fleet landings suggest that the Welsh fishing fleet is now at a dangerously low ebb, and if the current trajectory continues, it's in danger of disappearing soon. Overall, Welsh vessel landings have fallen from a high of 11,300 in 2017 to nearly a quarter of that, just over 3,000 last year. That's a huge drop of nearly 75 per cent in the number of Welsh vessel...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: Can I ask for two statements, please? The first: may I ask for a statement on any plans that the Government has to improve democratic accountability in our health boards? You will be aware that there were significant changes in health boards around 10 years ago. We saw, for example, the Dryll y Car care home in Llanaber closing, losing eight beds for elderly mental health patients. As a...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: I want to focus on one element of the motion: e-prescribing. Arguing about IT systems within the health service is one of those anachronistic things, isn't it? The health sector breaks new ground on almost a daily basis with technology, but the IT systems are still in the last quarter of the last century. Some surgeries are still reliant on fax machines. If I was to talk about faxes to my...
Mabon ap Gwynfor: I thank the Deputy Minister for that response. I welcome the progress that's been made and the additional budget towards social housing. If we're to tackle the housing crisis, then of course we must have more social housing available, but they must also be fit for purpose. I've been to see a number of constituents recently who have to live in inappropriate accommodation. Take Claire, for...
