Peredur Owen Griffiths: I thank Jayne for granting me some time in this short debate this evening. I want to echo the points that she so eloquently made this evening, because I fundamentally believe it's time for a national conversation on substance misuse. As I said during my short debate earlier this term, the status quo just isn't working. It's failing families, it's failing communities and it's causing...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The well-being of future generations Act that passed through this Senedd has been hailed by many as world-leading legislation. I thank the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee for the opportunity to debate whether the reality of this legislation lives up to its reputation. Although born from innovation and good faith, as the Act has unfolded over the past few years, it's clear...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Since my election, I've conducted many street surgeries, and a pattern that you often see at these surgeries, when my team are out in Blaenau Gwent, is transportation to the Grange hospital. I know it can take up to 45 minutes to travel from the Grange to Tredegar, for example, as I've done it myself, but if you rely on public transport, it can be a much harder and much more time-consuming...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Dirprwy Lywydd, budget scrutiny is at the heart of our work. As a committee, we want to be robust and rigorous and ensure that the annual budgets of the public bodies considered as part of our work are proportionate and justified. We believe that the Commission’s budget for the next financial year meets these criteria. However, we will be keeping a close eye on the Commission’s future...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: We made nine recommendations to the Commission relating to its proposals. I have received the Commission’s response to our report and I am pleased to see that eight of those recommendations have been accepted in full and one accepted in principle. The Commission’s draft budget sets out its intended expenditure for 2022-23 and contains proposals for a budget of £62.9 million, an overall...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I preface my remarks by thanking the committee members for their work in scrutinising the Senedd Commission's draft budget for 2022-23? I'd also like to thank Ken Skates, the Senedd Commissioner for budget and governance, and Senedd officials for attending the Finance Committee to discuss their proposals. We appreciate the open and constructive manner in which the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr. Much of the conversation about the health and social care levy in England has focused on older adults. NSPCC Cymru is concerned that children could be overlooked if we don't ensure that their needs are part of the conversation here in Wales. Data has shown that, on the UK level, the number of looked-after children is growing faster than the child population. At the same time,...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government about plans to introduce a health and social care levy for Wales from April 2023? OQ57187
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I was recently at COP26 and the overriding theme was that we need radical action to change our fate on this planet. This includes the way we approach public transport. It needs to be more attractive if people are to ditch their cars. Unfortunately, this much-needed culture change has been hampered by crowded scenes like the ones we saw after the Wales versus Belarus...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 5. How is the Welsh Government encouraging the growth of public transport use in South Wales East? OQ57211
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. It gives me great pleasure to stand here in the Senedd today to speak about an important milestone for Blaenau Gwent. In 1971, in the home of Joyce Morgan of Six Bells, Abertillery town band was founded. Now, 50 years on, the band is celebrating their half century with a special concert this Saturday at the Met in Abertillery town centre, featuring guest artist Dan...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: This time of year is a chance for many to pause and consider those affected by armed conflict around the world. As someone who had a grandfather who served and remembers him talking about his experiences, I'm familiar with the impact the armed forces can have on your life, good and bad. We know from research conducted by the Plaid Cymru team in Westminster that ex-armed forces personnel often...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Trefnydd, I'd like to raise the plight of residents and businesses in the wider Brynmawr area who have been affected by the ongoing work on the Heads of the Valleys road. This has been a long-running saga for the local people because works have dragged on and on. What was promised to be a three-months closure of the slip road turned into 15 months. I'm pleased that, as of Monday, the slip...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I'm not going to presume what the responses of the young people will be to this exciting new questionnaire launched by Rhun this evening, but I would encourage young people to participate. However, I would like to know whether the Government will consider the recommendations of the Children's Society as one way in which we can help to listen to young people and to support those young people.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening, and thank you, Rhun, for bringing this topic before us. I've had a discussion recently with Tom Davies from the Children's Society, and during that meeting he explained a little about the work that they do and the good work that's being done in this area, and the work done to support young people's...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: One of these was that the Children's Society recommend that Welsh Government complements its plan for better mental health support in schools through in-reach work from health services, with a strong and consistent community-based offer for those young people, up to the age of 25, who may prefer to receive support outside of education. Community-based support can be delivered through...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch. I recently met with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru, and I met with them again today; they're in the Senedd today, and they have many, many unanswered questions. They have little faith that a UK-wide inquiry will provide all the answers they crave in order to give them closure after the death of a close relative. One of the major questions they have is around...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that answer.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: On the subject of COP26, I noted your tweet about the Prime Minister sitting next to Sir David Attenborough without a face mask and seemingly asleep. The words you used to describe Johnson in your tweet were, and I quote, 'a national disgrace'. I have no argument with that, but what I do have a problem with is your Government's faith in Westminster delivering a non-partisan, all-encompassing,...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. Gweinidog, unless your head is buried in the sand, you will be aware that COP26 is under way in Glasgow this week. Air pollution is a significant aspect of the climate emergency here in Wales, because it accounts for 1,400 deaths and costs the Welsh NHS £1 billion a year. Within my region, a row of houses has just been demolished as we speak, because they are no longer fit...
