Bethan Sayed: Diolch. I'd like to thank the Welsh Government for bringing forward this debate today, because it is important that we analyse how this review is going to move forward and explore some of the current issues of affordable housing. I've been keen to be co-operative on the broader housing agenda as I feel that the housing Minister does share many of our concerns and I appreciate that she has...
Bethan Sayed: I'll try and be brief. [Laughter.] In your 2011 manifesto, there was a section where Labour outlined what they were going to do to make gender equality a reality and lead to significant changes of culture, not just within the Government, but also in the private sector. I don't feel that this has been done to a significant enough level. I appreciate your personal commitment, but it does sound...
Bethan Sayed: Could we have a statement on the issue of British Steel pensions, which were swindled from workers by Celtic Wealth Management and their partners? I have raised this with the First Minister, but he seemed to fudge the response. We know that Celtic are not a financial advisory firm, so they will not be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and so to try and claim that the FCA are...
Bethan Sayed: I think the joint venture, on the face of it, seems like a positive step forward at the moment, but there are key questions to ask to ensure that we move forward with scrutiny and caution. Our first duty, of course, is to the workforce—the highly skilled workforce—that we have in Port Talbot. As I mentioned yesterday in questions to the leader of the house, Brexit is going to loom large...
Bethan Sayed: David Rees pipped me to the post on Tata. I want to ask for a statement on the issues with regard to Thyssenkrupp, but also in relation to the investment the Welsh Government has pledged already between Plaid Cymru and Labour. I know that phase 1 has gone ahead. I'd like assurances on the other phases, but also a general statement that will show us what is happening in relation to state aid...
Bethan Sayed: Just to expand on that point, I'm not entirely convinced that it's just as easy as saying that the management company should pay, because some of these management companies have previously been made up of residents associations, and that means that, by virtue of the set-up and the constitution of those management bodies, the residents themselves are the ones who will be paying. So, for...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for this report. I have a longstanding issue, along with other AMs in this area, having chaired Wales Against Opencast Mining here in Wales, so that puts me perhaps in a unique position to talk about the ones in my area, but also knowing quite a lot about opencast in other areas as well. In my own area, for example, we still have Ochr y Waun and East Pit in Cwmllynfell, where we...
Bethan Sayed: I was reading up, before the question today, and there was an Ipsos MORI and Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods report into the pupil development grant, and they were saying that while the pupil development grant had provided many positives, it was difficult to see whether it was solely as a result of the pupil development grant as to whether progress had been...
Bethan Sayed: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the eating disorders framework consultation?
Bethan Sayed: I last week met with Docs Not Cops, and I know that you've met with them, as has Mike Hedges. This issue was raised in Plenary a few weeks ago with regard to seeking a statement on the Welsh Government's position in relation to the Immigration Act 2014. You did respond, but you responded in relation to the current policy in relation to asylum seekers. So, I want to try and understand: anyone...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that response. The reason why I was asking this question was because I think that it's important that the Welsh Government reaches out to some of the women from Wales who have been directly affected by this operation—the special demonstration squad unit within the police that infiltrated activist groups, and then, clearly, those police officers acted inappropriately with...
Bethan Sayed: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the support for Welsh women affected directly by the spycops issue? OAQ52395
Bethan Sayed: I tabled this question because I wanted to urge you, as a Commissioner, to change the policy whereby Assembly Members can only book 10 sessions on the estate in a period of a year. I think this discriminates against Assembly Members who are proactive in arranging events. For example, if I organise 10 events and another Member only arranges one, then that means that there isn't an opportunity...
Bethan Sayed: 5. Will the Commissioner provide an update on the availability of rooms and meeting space on the Assembly estate? OAQ52357
Bethan Sayed: What additional funding will the Cabinet Secretary provide to the local government and public services portfolio to support legacy plans for Communities First?
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for the statement here today. I have to say that I'm disappointed about the part in the statement with regard to the animal offender register here in Wales, especially given that you've made a statement without giving us any background information as to what actually happened as part of that review. I'm particularly disappointed to read that you think that, because there's a lack...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you. I wasn't going to speak and then I felt that I wanted to, because I've done quite a lot of work in this area, and when somebody mentioned earlier 'these people' I suddenly thought of the fact that they're not just 'these people', they have names: Ahin Ahmed, Ibrahim Saba are just some of the ones that I've met. I think that, sometimes, we talk about people without considering that...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that answer. You will know that Celtic Wealth Management had a grant from your Government for financial services, but instead decided to use that money to rip off steelworkers in the Port Talbot area, and other people with defined pension benefits. This effectively amounts to cold calling and is something that is unethical. I'm wondering why it's taken you seven months to even...
Bethan Sayed: 7. Will the First Minister provide an update on Welsh Government policy in relation to the criteria for the awarding of grants to companies? OAQ52385
Bethan Sayed: Yes, and I know there's guidance to GPs—and I've had this briefing—but young carers are raising this with me: that the chief pharmaceutical officer for Wales sent out a guidance note in 2013 about dispensing medicines and access for young carers. That's the other issue—they go there and they're told they can't get the medication. That was 2013, and they're still telling me now, in 2018,...
