Gareth Bennett: I do, actually, Llyr, but I think if you asked many members of the general public they wouldn't know what the Dáil is or the Taoiseach. [Interruption.] Oh, in Ireland, yes; okay, we have to relate it to Ireland. Well, that's an interesting point. Let me have a think about that. You've raised a good point. We do agree with the proposed changes relating to disqualification. We did have an...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for bringing today's debate, and I think there have been very interesting contributions from everyone so far. I agree with the Minister that we do need a rehabilitative system as well as a punitive system, and I look forward to reading his blueprint for female and youth offenders. Hopefully that will take the debate forward, and we can look at things in a little bit...
Gareth Bennett: I take the point that you raise, First Minister, but there is no evidence that kosher food is entering the mainstream food market, but there is some evidence that halal food is. So, that is the reason why I raised the issue specifically of halal food. Now, I don't think we should be downplaying this issue. I remember that we had a scandal over horse meat a few years ago, and I think this lack...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, there's been a lot of publicity recently over the issue of food labelling. As you will be aware, there have been some tragic cases where people have died, quite possibly due to lack of information on the label of a food product that they consumed. Do you agree that, as a matter of course, there should be clear labelling for food products in Wales so that all...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you for that very definitive answer and, of course, I entirely agree with you. Now, another related issue is the one of halal meat entering the mainstream food chain. As you know, halal meat, some 20 per cent of which comes from animals that are not stunned before they are slaughtered, is a growth industry in the UK. One issue related to this is that halal meat is only allowed for...
Gareth Bennett: Yes. Thanks. We will see a variety of different working methods, I'm sure, and it may not be the same from one area to the next. Hopefully, they will work effectively. Now, the public services boards in Gwent—or what used to be Gwent—may be a good model. We were told on the committee that many PSBs in Gwent may be local authority led, but they don't feel as though they are local authority...
Gareth Bennett: Yes. Thanks. I hope so too. We had a scrutiny session on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee on the PSBs just before the summer recess, so we did have a snapshot from various organisations as to how well things were working. One point that was made by various witnesses was that we have several PSBs that aren't chaired by someone from a local authority. This can be a good...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. One of the consequences of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has been the creation of public services boards. As you know, Minister, the main purpose of the PSBs is to strengthen joint working across all public services in Wales. How do you assess how well the PSBs are operating, and have we seen an improvement in joint working across the public services?
Gareth Bennett: They voted to leave.
Gareth Bennett: Yes, I understand that the twenty-first century schools programme creates modernised school buildings and I'm certainly not—[Interruption.] I am certainly not—[Interruption.] I am certainly not—[Interruption.] Yes. I'm certainly not denigrating that. However, it does not necessarily create local schools. Indeed, the effect the programme has in some areas may be entirely the opposite....
Gareth Bennett: Yes. I hear what you say about the south Wales metro, First Minister, but I believe there are possible doubts over the future funding of it, given your Government's commitment to the M4 relief road scheme. So, there may be some uncertainty over the south Wales metro. But, anyway, I don't want to go down that avenue today. I suppose, ultimately, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, you're probably aware of a recent report from the future generations commissioner entitled 'Transport Fit for Future Generations'. [Interruption.] Thank you. On page 16 the report says that: 'Evidence consistently demonstrates that capacity increases on highway infrastructure generate more motorway trips, and generally, new capacity simply fills up over time,...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for his statement today on a very important subject. We've had at least one highly passionate debate on this in the Chamber—probably more than one if you go back a few years—so it's obviously a matter that's close to a lot of people's hearts. Now, Minister, you said you wanted support for your new measures from across the Chamber, and I'm sure you would get that...
Gareth Bennett: Now, to go back to what your Member said, your Member of the Public Accounts Committee, at the height of the timber fiasco, I quote: 'What is going on in NRW? To have their accounts qualified for the third year running is unprecedented and frankly outrageous. I'm struggling to think of an explanation for why this might be. Might it be corruption or incompetence? But it does appear that the...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, you're talking about the European Union. I was asking you about your oversight of Natural Resources Wales, but thanks for leading us down a blind alley, First Minister. You mentioned—[Interruption.] You mentioned the oversight of NRW by the Public Accounts Committee, and I'm glad you see a valuable role for the Public Accounts Committee in doing that. Now, your own backbenchers, of...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. First Minister, which of the following decisions do you think that Natural Resources Wales can be proudest of? Is it the dumping of 300,000 tonnes of nuclear mud approximately 1 mile from Cardiff Bay, or is it giving a licence for a biomass incinerator that neighbours residential properties in Barry dock, or, finally, is it refusing to sell timber from...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. I don't want to add a lot to what the other Members have said—ones who have raised points. We did have a debate on this in May, as Rhun mentioned, and it has to be acknowledged that there is a wide public anxiety about this issue. We spoke about the environmental impact assessment, or the lack of it, in the debate we had in May. I don't really think those issues have been...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thanks for that answer. I will endeavour to familiarise myself in more detail with the reports that you mentioned. Now, there is one report that I will refer to. There was a recent primary care hub report on social prescribing that indicated that there is a lack of awareness amongst the public about social prescribing. Obviously, for social prescribing to work, we need the public to...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, I think you're right that there is a range of approaches that are needed to tackle the problem, and I'm glad to hear that you are taking social prescribing seriously. Now, I do think that it's a good idea, as I said, to use this method. However, part of the problem with social prescribing providers is that many activities are led by volunteers and the charitable sector, so they may be...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd, and good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. I wanted to ask you some questions today about social prescribing. As you know, social prescribing—sometimes referred to as community referral—is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local and non-clinical services. So, it does promote a more holistic approach to health...
