Rhianon Passmore: First Minister, earlier this year it was announced that Transport for Wales had signed a £1.9 million contract with multinational information equipment and service company, Fujitsu, to improve efficiency and, as you said, to upgrade ticket office machines and mobile handsets across the rail network. So, First Minister, as the first train operator in the UK to commit to such an upgrade, the...
Rhianon Passmore: The first Wales-only legislation for the historic environment became law in 2016, and it is an area that is of supreme importance to Wales, to our economy as well as our culture, and I take, obviously, a particular interest in my constituency of Islwyn. Crumlin in Islwyn sits in the heart of the Gwent valleys and is the beating heart of the Valleys taskforce geography. It is a proud community...
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you, Minister. Following the Supreme Court's ruling, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has apologised to Her Majesty the Queen, but has still not apologised to Parliament or the people of Wales or the United Kingdom. Minister, may I applaud the decisive action of the Welsh Government to act as an intervener in this case, and can the Minister outline the consequences and implications...
Rhianon Passmore: 10. Will the Counsel General make a statement on the outcome of the Supreme Court prorogation case following the judgment passed on 24 September 2019? OAQ54444
Rhianon Passmore: May I praise the Welsh Labour Government for bringing a series of open statements to today's Plenary agenda that demonstrate the real and present threat that a 'no deal' Brexit poses to Wales? The danger of 'no deal' is real, it is clear and it is evidenced. Minister, what is your view and the Welsh Government's view on news emanating from Whitehall that the Prime Minister, as part of the...
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you, Trefnydd. The Welsh Labour Government was elected in 2016. One of its key commitments was to provide 30 hours of early education and childcare to hardworking parents of three and four-year-olds across Wales for 48 weeks per year. At the end of this July, there were almost 16,000 three and four-year-old children accessing qualitative Government-funded childcare. Across Wales, there...
Rhianon Passmore: 8. Will the First Minister provide an update on the help provided to parents by the Welsh Government for childcare and early education in Islwyn? OAQ54448
Rhianon Passmore: Diolch, Minister. Thank you for the confirmation, then, that the additional learning needs system will commence on that phased basis from September 2021. Teachers, parents, educators and teaching trade unions will, indeed, welcome the fact that the Welsh Government has listened and acted constructively on their feedback and the many conversations that have taken place. And I know, Minister,...
Rhianon Passmore: 7. Will the Minister outline the timescales involved with the implementation of the additional learning needs system? OAQ54383
Rhianon Passmore: What actions are the Welsh Government taking to recruit and retain GPs in Islwyn?
Rhianon Passmore: I also welcome an ambitious and inspirational transformational multi-modal integrated transport system for Wales. Minister, what opportunities does the Williams rail review offer the Welsh Government to take further responsibilities for the creation of new stations and the expanding Welsh tram footprint for a cleaner, greener Wales?
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you, First Minister. In 2018, the Welsh Labour Government announced, as part of the new Wales and borders rail contract, run by Transport for Wales, direct rail links between Newport and Ebbw Vale to be restored in 2021. And this is tremendous news for my constituents in Islwyn, in Newbridge, Crosskeys and Risca. The link was closed to passengers in April 1962, following the infamous...
Rhianon Passmore: 4. What actions are the Welsh Government taking to improve railway services in Islwyn? OAQ54401
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Perhaps now more than ever we are truly beginning to understand the importance of physical activity to aid an individual's mental and social well-being. Today, across Wales, boys, girls, men and women of all ages, all backgrounds and all sizes will have taken the opportunity in this late and beautiful summer sunshine we are enjoying to indulge in the...
Rhianon Passmore: So, you do believe in climate change now.
Rhianon Passmore: Will you take an intervention?
Rhianon Passmore: In regard to the importance of pollution, is your party now of the understanding and of the nature that pollution and climate change are very intricately linked?
Rhianon Passmore: Will the Minister provide an update on how the Welsh Government's physical activity and active recreation policies are benefiting communities in Islwyn?
Rhianon Passmore: Islwyn is a varied constituency, comprising a series of beautiful Welsh Gwent Valleys communities, and it contains both the wonder of the natural lush mountainous landscapes of Wales with the harsh realities of society continuing to tackle the challenges of deindustrialisation: the loss of its mining and steel communities and the propensity for respiratory ill-health, with the Wales indices...
Rhianon Passmore: First Minister, the forced release of the Operation Yellowhammer document confirms what the Welsh Labour Government has been consistently stating publicly for many months, namely that a 'no deal' cliff-edge Brexit could have enormous detrimental consequences for Welsh people, their families and our communities. Amidst the document's pages are non-worst-case-scenario warnings that some fresh...
