John Griffiths: I very much welcome this debate today, and I echo what Dai Lloyd said. I think it has been a very good and powerful debate, and rightly so, because we're talking about public health, and it's clear that air quality is a major factor in whether we enjoy the sort of good public health that we want to see in Wales or not. And, yes, Healthy Air Cymru have done a lot of research, I think, and put...
John Griffiths: As with others in this debate, before coming to the Assembly, I had direct experience of the criminal justice system having been a solicitor in a legal aid practice dealing with criminal law, amongst other matters. So I do have direct experience, seeing people who were accused in my office, in police stations, in prisons and, obviously, representing them in court. I must say that I would echo...
John Griffiths: As Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, I'd like to refer to our report on the draft budget passed last week. Within that, Llywydd, we reiterated our view that Welsh Government would benefit, Wales would benefit, from a tackling poverty strategy that provided an improved focus on those very important issues. We welcome the additional £18 million across...
John Griffiths: Thank you for that, Minister. Most people in Wales live in urban areas, and, in our inner urban areas, there are many issues around air quality and general lack of green space. So, I think improving those inner urban environments would connect people to the natural world more strongly, and I would hope would lead to better environmental behaviours—whether it's taking part in recycling...
John Griffiths: 2. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to develop its policy for managing natural resources in towns and cities? OAQ54997
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, one aspect of our town centres that I think many people find very attractive is that distinctive offer that isn't just a replica of what you see in so many other town centres across the UK. So, rather than the big operators, the shops and stores that you see everywhere and distinctive local businesses, I think, are a great asset. I know that, in many areas,...
John Griffiths: Minister, I think, to state the obvious, really, there are particular challenges in different parts of Wales in terms of promoting and growing the Welsh language. In Newport, there was, for a long time, a historical nonsense around in terms of Monmouthshire not being part of Wales or England but being in some strange hybrid position. Thankfully, things have moved on since those days, and I...
John Griffiths: Minister, would you agree with me that hate crime against the Gypsy/Traveller community must be treated with equal seriousness as hate crime against any other community or minority in Wales? I recently met with local members of my Gypsy/Traveller community, and they feel very strongly that too often that isn't the case. They gave examples of social media postings, for example, that were...
John Griffiths: Thankfully, we've made progress in reducing the numbers smoking in Wales, First Minister, but it still takes a terrible toll on health in Wales, and particularly regarding people living in poverty. I do believe it's important that we make it more and more socially unacceptable to smoke in Wales, and the ban on smoking in enclosed public places has been a big part of that. A recent Action on...
John Griffiths: Minister, as you know, there's a great deal of frustration and impatience at the fact that the Newport to Ebbw Vale passenger rail link is yet to be established. Are you able to give us an update today regarding the necessary work to make that link a reality?
John Griffiths: I do think this is a very worthwhile and significant report that we're discussing today, because education is so vitally important and because history is such a big part and must be such a big part of education. Obviously, all of us need to have as good an understanding as we can arrive at in terms of the history of the world, our local history, our national history, if we're really going to...
John Griffiths: I thank the First Minister for that. Newport does have great potential with its transport links, motorway, rail and port, and, of course, its geographical position between the economic powerhouses of Cardiff and Bristol. It also has a very resilient local population and workforce that have adapted to economic challenges over many years. We see the new industries, First Minister, of cyber...
John Griffiths: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy for economic development in Newport? OAQ54917
John Griffiths: Well, I thank my colleague Huw for that intervention. We do look at that in the report, as you know, Huw, and I know you were very keen on exploring that approach during the work of the committee. So, we do recognise the need to look at a stronger Welsh voice. I'm sure, when we come to debate the report, that you will take part and we'll hear perhaps various views on that. But, you know,...
John Griffiths: Yes, indeed.
John Griffiths: Obviously, poverty and child poverty in Wales are very significant issues for us and for those concerned with social justice at the very heart of the progress that we need to make in Wales. So, I welcome this debate today and the focus that it allows here in the Chamber. We should be discussing these matters and we should be looking at the most effective ways forward and possible new ways of...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, of course, in Newport, we have the Llanwern site, which is integrated with Port Talbot. As Dai Rees and Jack Sargeant have already said, these Tata operations are very much seen as a whole. So, we have a great deal of concern in terms of the jobs at Llanwern, and also, of course, at the moment, at the Orb works. The plant is mothballed, with potential buyers still...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I thank everybody who took part? I think it's clear that there is a strong consensus about the importance of these issues, and also, in general, the sort of steps that are necessary to deal with them. But there was also, I think, something of a consensus around the fact that that consensus that I've just described has been in place for quite some time, but we...
John Griffiths: During our inquiry, we heard about initiatives that have had some success in bringing properties back into use, but progress has stagnated. We believe that a strategic approach is needed for significant change to happen. We would like to see the Welsh Government take the lead on this, engaging with local authorities to prioritise the issue and understand the support it can provide. I'm...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm very pleased to open today's debate on Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee report on empty properties, and I would like to start by thanking all those who contributed to our inquiry. Empty properties is a real issue that impacts upon all of our communities. There are around 27,000 long-term empty properties across Wales, so swift action is...
