Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's policies for improving transport infrastructure in south-east Wales?
Nick Ramsay: You must have expected me to rise with that comment. As I said to you previously in questions, I accept what you're saying about comparing the figures with 2010-2011—there's still a long way to go—but even you, when you're being optimistic, Minister, must accept that, compared with last year, this is over a 2 per cent real terms increase—that's real terms. So, this really will improve...
Nick Ramsay: Thanks, Rhun. Just before you move on to the local authorities, with regard to health, I hear what you’re saying and I said in my own speech that the preventative agenda is all important, but, nonetheless, if a significant amount of money is going into the health service in England, and, as a result of that, we get money through a consequential here, you would accept that you would want to...
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to contribute to this afternoon's important debate on budget priorities, as we move into the all-important budget-setting phase of the Welsh Government and the budget-scrutinising phase of the Assembly's Finance Committee. I was pleased to take part in the stakeholder event at the Marine hotel in Aberystwyth—a nice sunny day, as I seem to remember; it seems a world away now. We...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. You've been quite clear that your move away from the five A* to C English and Maths measure was designed to encourage schools to focus on realising the potential of every child, not just those on the C/D/C borderline. Your new measure—the capped 9—puts value on vocational courses, which is very welcome, and, as she says, so many young people can secure a rewarding and...
Nick Ramsay: 2. How is the Welsh Government ensuring that pupils at Key Stage 4 have access to vocational courses? OAQ54368
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister make a statement on the support available for people living with dementia in their home setting?
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Chair. Minister, you've just mentioned the scheme that involves being able to add a bedroom. I think that that's the scheme in Chepstow, from my memory of your statement. I was delighted to see that that's been included—Monmouthshire Housing Association, I believe, will be receiving funding to build 17 homes in Chepstow. The ability to add a bedroom, or other examples of...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Abergavenny Food Festival, now in its twenty-first year. The festival continues to go from strength to strength, with local companies such as Sugarloaf Catering playing key roles, and also companies from further afield as well. I also took part in the Love Zimbabwe march for Africa, along with the mayor, Tony Konieczny, and...
Nick Ramsay: Margaret Barnard was secretary of a British Lung Foundation-supported Breathe Easy in Neath, a Welsh group of people living with lung disease, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The group offered mutual support and raised money for pulmonary rehabilitation equipment. She was utterly unforgettable to everyone who knew her. I mention Margaret not just for her award-winning work with...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, Llyr Gruffydd made a very valid point about the importance of being able to access those Welsh-medium services when they are provided. And whilst we all welcome the 1 million Welsh-speaker target and recognise the importance of Welsh-medium education in delivering that, I think the pressures that Llyr has alluded to are probably even more pressing in anglicised areas of Wales, such...
Nick Ramsay: I certainly support the Minister on the issue of the twenty-first century schools programme, and I've voiced my support for that in this Chamber. That is a very good scheme. You mentioned that the gap is closing, but of course that gap is still significant, and it is still a significant gap with spending across the border in England, so we do hope the Government will come forward with...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. The education Minister has joined us in the Chamber. Obviously, a sixth sense operating, as I was going to focus a little on some of the announcements she made yesterday in terms of education spending. School funding in particular, in Wales, as I said yesterday, has not kept pace with inflation. Between 2010-11 and 2018-19 gross budget expenditure on schools has actually...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Afternoon, Minister. Yesterday, you provided us with an update on the implications of the UK Government's spending round and your priorities for the Welsh Government budget. I hear what you've just said in answer to a previous question regarding the desire to have a three-yearly sustainable projection of spending in Wales, and that's something I think we would all like to see...
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's spending plans in the wake of the UK Government's spending review?
Nick Ramsay: You spoke about the uncertainty of Brexit. Of course, all debates have the Brexit angle at the moment, and, again, you are right to say that there are big uncertainties over Brexit and how we're going to exit the European Union and when, but that still leaves you with considerable ability yourself as a Welsh Government to manoeuvre and to plan and to make proposals for spending here that can...
Nick Ramsay: Can I thank the Minister for her statement today and for the Welsh Government's proposed response to the 2019 spending round? I have to say, having listened to yourself, the Minister, and also the First Minister earlier, there's certainly an air of pessimism, I think, surrounding the speech writing and question writing in the Welsh Government today. Much of what you said I don't think we...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, I'd like to ask you for a couple of statements, if I may. First of all, could we have a statement from the Minister for Economy and Transport relating to public transport particularly in south-east Wales? I've received correspondence from constituents about difficulties in commuting from Monmouthshire to Newport and Cardiff—the city region area—and the frequency of those...
Nick Ramsay: Well, First Minister, you should be on the stage. The way that you managed to put a negative spin on those statistics without breaking into even a wry smile, you're to be commended on that. I hear what you're saying that there has been a period of cutbacks in Westminster, which saw cutbacks in the Welsh Government budget as well for a period of time, but even you must accept that the recent...
Nick Ramsay: How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to meet future housing demand?
