Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to contribute to today’s debate as Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee. In our committee’s recent budget reports, we have highlighted our concerns about the level of attention paid to the rights of children and young people in important financial decisions. We have called repeatedly on the Welsh Government to...
Lynne Neagle: Of course, and we will have to monitor closely the implementation of the recommendations, but it was clearly the view of the committee that there is value in this qualification, but just that we want to see it being improved. I just wanted to pick up on one specific point that Janet Finch-Saunders made about relieving the pressure on teachers. Undoubtedly, workload is a continuing concern...
Lynne Neagle: By all means.
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. If I can just start by just saying that I made a joke or light-hearted comment in my initial speech about the grief that I get at home from my son on the Welsh bac, which—I'm not sure the joke actually landed terribly well in the Chamber. [Laughter.] But that was very much how I approached the inquiry, from a position actually of being very concerned...
Lynne Neagle: This was particularly so in terms of the breadth of skills developed for future learning, employment and life. However, the way in which the qualification is currently being delivered and publicised is having a detrimental effect on its actual and perceived value. Many of the negative views we heard also related both to a lack of understanding of the qualification’s purpose and content, and...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm very pleased to open this debate today on the Children, Young People and Education Committee's report into the status of the Welsh baccalaureate qualification. Concerns about the Welsh bac have, over a number of years and all too often, been appearing in the news and in our constituency and committee inboxes alike—concerns about universities choosing...
Lynne Neagle: Will the Minister provide an update on work to reduce the cost of the school day for families?
Lynne Neagle: What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the latest health technologies are available in Wales?
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Last week I visited, along with the rest of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, the young offenders unit at Parc prison, and to be told that 40 per cent of the young people there were formerly looked after was a salutary reminder, if ever one was needed, of the way that we have to go to improve the outcomes for looked-after children. So, I'm...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, First Minister. Last month, following an individual Member's debate, led by my colleague John Griffiths, AMs voted in favour of Welsh Government bringing forward a new strategy to tackle poverty together with a detailed budget and action plan for implementation. Given the clear cross-party support there is for more action in this area, when will the strategy be forthcoming? And...
Lynne Neagle: 6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's plans to reduce child poverty? OAQ54190
Lynne Neagle: Good luck to us all, and thank you, all.
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Llywydd. It is a genuine honour to close today's momentous debate and to have the opportunity to thank everybody who’s been involved, over many months and years, to help us reach this important point in the history of our democracy here in Wales. It’s impossible to pay tribute to everyone individually, but our gratitude is significant nonetheless. Our particular thanks must go...
Lynne Neagle: I think it was an important step for the Government to bring forward this debate today. As has been pointed out any number of times in the last two weeks, this question of how to resolve the M4 problem has dogged every political party and every tier of Government for decades. Clearly, we now need to build a solution that can win the support of most people in the Chamber and most people across...
Lynne Neagle: Well, I will certainly check that, but certainly some Members have. Needless—
Lynne Neagle: You've made your speech, Mark. I am speaking—
Lynne Neagle: No, I—
Lynne Neagle: I did not accuse you of using the word 'traitor', I was talking about the word 'betrayal', which does—
Lynne Neagle: Thank you very much, but I'd like to finish my speech now, and I hope that you will reflect on the comments that I've made. Needless to say, I won't be voting for this motion today. I remain on the side of the manufacturers who see any form of Brexit as harmful and a 'no deal' as straightforward economic vandalism. Far from disrespecting the people of Torfaen, it is the high regard I have for...
Lynne Neagle: Well, I hope that you will also then consider in the future the language that you use here, not just accusing some of us of disrespecting people, but I have heard the term too often 'betrayal', and the term 'betrayal' leads to accusations of people being traitors. I'll give way again.
