Huw Irranca-Davies: I think I've heard the intervention now, Llywydd. It was a long intervention. Maybe the Member wasn't here yesterday in the debate that we had in First Minister's questions, where the hard reality is that, at this moment, in real terms, we are £900 million down—£900 million down—and in terms of actually developing a new fleet of electric buses and so on, we've been given £1 million...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you. [Laughter.] I genuinely feel more like a citizen of Wales because of that universal provision, but the challenge the Minister has is to work over the next few months—and he is working hard with those bus operators and with local authorities—to actually use this very short breathing period to find a way forward that is sustainable. I don't envy him his task in that. Let me...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Can I just begin by thanking Plaid Cymru for bringing this debate, as Jenny indeed did, and also to agree with many of the comments that have been made, both by Delyth in her introductory remarks, and also by Heledd? They stressed very much that this is a matter of social and environmental justice, or if you want to put that into layperson's terms, it's the individual at the top of the Garw...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Would you like to give way on that point?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Delyth. I have a lot of sympathy with your argument, because this is about social justice and environmental justice and so on. The challenge we have, however, is that there was nothing—nothing, not a penny—within the budget just announced about any uplift in bus services. The England bus grant has gone already. We've seen the effects of it. At least what we have here is a...
Huw Irranca-Davies: We also heard about the decrease in the use of the Welsh language in Welsh tribunals over the last two years, which is concerning. We will be keeping a close eye on this issue when we hold future sessions with Sir Wyn's successor. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Wyn once again for his work as president of Welsh Tribunals, and for his willingness to appear before my...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate today. I'd also like to thank the Welsh Government for scheduling the debate in a way that allowed for the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee’s consideration of the annual report.
Huw Irranca-Davies: And I join, at the outset, the Counsel General and others in paying tribute to the contribution of Sir Wyn, the president of Welsh Tribunals over the last six years. And indeed, as the Counsel General has remarked, he attended our committee only a week last Monday—yes, a week ago, the Monday just gone—and we discussed with him in some detail some of the key issues arising from his report....
Huw Irranca-Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm genuinely a glass-half-full person here today. Can I thank the Minister for bringing forward the statement, but also for her engagement as well, not just with the cross-party group on a clean air Act for Wales, but all of the member organisations who are part of that and the Senedd Members, on a cross-party basis, who have been campaigning so long for this? It's...
Huw Irranca-Davies: First Minister, as you know, it always takes a few hours, a few days, for the dust to settle on the magic around any budget statement at the despatch box, but we now know that the International Monetary Fund has said we will have, in the year ahead, the weakest position of all G7 nations. We will have, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the highest fall in the standard of...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. What assessment has the First Minister made of the implications for Wales of the UK Government's budget? OQ59282
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Minister will know from his visits around Wales that some pupils don't engage with the traditional curriculum and with traditional education. But providing opportunities such as construction skills is a way in to a productive future career, and sometimes quite a lucrative career as well, with skills such as carpentry and bricklaying and plumbing and so on. So, will he join me in welcoming...
Huw Irranca-Davies: It's on iPlayer.
Huw Irranca-Davies: 4. What assessment has the Minister made of the role of construction skills as part of an alternative curriculum for school pupils? OQ59261
Huw Irranca-Davies: How will the Welsh Government help develop the economic potential of the south Wales valleys?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, thank you very much for taking the intervention. Could I just clarify that if you are approached by local authority leaders in those areas where schemes have been told to go back and think again about bringing it forward, where you need to show that a scheme also leads to a reduction in individual vehicle transport, you will, indeed, be sitting down with them and talking through...
Huw Irranca-Davies: The original Llanharan bypass proposal was a road, or actually a series of roads connected by roundabouts, enabling the phased opening up of a strategic site, connecting new homes and medical facilities and a new school with the existing community of old Llanharan along the main spinal route from the western point of the A473 beyond Llanharan, and allowing access and egress in the direction...
Huw Irranca-Davies: What recent assessment has the First Minister made of the impacts of EU withdrawal on residents and businesses in Ogmore?
Huw Irranca-Davies: Minister, I really welcome the support that has been given by Welsh Government and local authorities and local communities, indeed, and voluntary organisations to all of our Ukrainian friends. It's a gift that we receive in providing hospitality, not a burden that we assume. My own two lovely guests—indeed, our friend—who fled the conflict from eastern Ukraine and, in doing so, helped in...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Now, last month, Llywydd, I spoke in the debate on the legislative consent motion for the UK Infrastructure Bank Bill and I noted that our final report on that Bill was our fortieth report on legislative consent memoranda in this sixth Senedd—the fortieth report. Since then, we've reported on a further four legislative consent memoranda. So, my comments this afternoon will focus on the...
