Dawn Bowden: I very much welcome this debate at a time when racism and intolerance is at the worst that I can remember for a long time, and I do further welcome the support of both Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives for it. The worrying rise of the far right across Europe, including Britain, is seemingly normalising racist language and behaviours and, as Leanne Wood said, blaming foreigners or those of...
Dawn Bowden: What action is the Welsh Government taking to tackle food poverty in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney?
Dawn Bowden: No, I'm quite happy with the amendment and I'll explain a bit further why as I go through. I would say that I'm sorry, Russell, despite what you say, the Tories' solution to the problems in the workplace is always to attack workers and those who represent them and while ignoring the fat cats in the boardrooms with their bonuses and while workers are constantly facing austerity and pay...
Dawn Bowden: Thanks to Plaid Cymru for bringing forward this debate on workers' rights. I'll speak proudly of the work carried out by this Welsh Government and other members of these benches in promoting those rights. For some of us, this is a real and personal issue, and in my case it was 30 years as a trade union official fighting for and defending workers' rights every single day. I remain a proud...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Minister, for the statement. I have to say that I'm both shocked and saddened by what I saw in this report and the findings, and, like others, my thoughts, first and foremost, are with the families, many of whom are my constituents, of course, that have been affected by the failings in the Cwm Taf maternity services. While I know that many women have had good experiences and good...
Dawn Bowden: —that allowed it? He didn't run it, he just started it. Minister, many of us will have noticed the success that was achieved recently by putting Dippy the Dinosaur on a tour of museums around the UK, and I'm sure our own national galleries and museums similarly have exhibits that could be put on display in venues across the south Wales Valleys and beyond. Indeed, there are many exhibits...
Dawn Bowden: And it absolutely did, Minister, so thank you for that. And could I, just while I'm on my feet, just take the opportunity to thank you for being in Merthyr Tydfil recently to start the half marathon and for the Welsh Government grant funding—
Dawn Bowden: 1. Will the Minister provide an update on how the work of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales brings benefits to Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ53715
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. Last week, my colleague Vikki Howells made a statement to mark the thirty-fifth anniversary of the start of the 1984 miners' strike. But there is one aspect of that long, bitter industrial dispute that I believe deserves our further attention. I refer, of course, to the way in which the dispute politicised and radicalised women through the Women Against Pit Closures movement....
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. Again, we considered these regulations at our meeting on 18 March, and we reported eight technical points to the Assembly under Standing Order 21.2(vi). These technical points relate in the main to the identification of potential drafting errors and the Welsh Government’s response highlights that they will, where necessary, be corrected through a wash-up statutory...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. I speak on the Seed Potatoes (Wales) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. We considered these regulations at our meeting on 18 March. We reported three technical points to the Assembly under Standing Order 21.2. Our first and third reporting points note errors in the Welsh text of regulation 2(12) and 2(17). The Welsh Government has accepted these errors and we welcome the...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm speaking on the Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. We considered these regulations at our meeting on 18 March. We reported two technical points to the Assembly under Standing Order 21.2(vi). In our report we expressed concerns about defective drafting because they amended regulations that did not exist at the time that we...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, Deputy Minister. In asking about community safety, and as it’s the first opportunity I’ve had here, can I firstly offer my thoughts to the people of Christchurch and New Zealand on the horrors that they’ve recently faced due to the terrorist attacks by extremists? It’s another horrific event that, of course, we condemn, but it does reinforce to us the...
Dawn Bowden: 5. Will the Deputy Minister provide an update on community safety initiatives in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ53684
Dawn Bowden: Will the First Minister provide an update on any recent correspondence with the UK Government regarding the devolution of air passenger duty to Wales?
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, Minister. As you know, we still face significant economic challenges in our Valleys communities and the problems caused by poverty remain persistently stubborn in parts of my constituency. While I was interested in the answer that you gave earlier to Hefin David on the foundational economy, I'm interested to know specifically how this might help to deliver the step...
Dawn Bowden: 9. Will the Minister make a statement on the role of the foundational economy in helping to tackle poverty in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ53607
Dawn Bowden: Thank you for that answer, First Minister, and I'm sure you'll agree that it is shocking that in my constituency, as in other Valleys communities, organisations such as Merthyr Valleys Homes are supporting schemes like holiday hampers to help tackle hunger amongst children. I'll just repeat that: in 2019, they run schemes to tackle the problem of hunger amongst children in our communities....
Dawn Bowden: 8. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's strategy for tackling poverty in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ53567
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank you, Deputy Minister, for this important statement and take this opportunity to give a special mention to some events in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney this Friday, International Women's Day? We'll have the great honour of hosting only the second purple plaque in Wales, marking the contribution of remarkable women to Welsh public life. I look...
