Bethan Sayed: What are the Welsh Government's priorities for expanding routes back into work for those that have lost employment in the past year?
Bethan Sayed: Firstly, I wanted to raise concerns with you with regard to comments that were made by an NHS public servant last week. James Moore, who was seconded at the time to Health Education and Improvement Wales, made awful comments comparing the treatment of English speakers to that of apartheid. So, this was a campaign against a new Welsh school in west Wales. Now, notwithstanding the fact that...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that reply. Clearly, the Reid review recommended that, due to Wales's historic underinvestment in research and lack of private research economic base, the Welsh Government should lead on this by increasing funding via a future of Wales fund with some more significant funds—at least about £30 million. But, last year, your Welsh Government only put £7 million into this...
Bethan Sayed: 7. What are the First Minister's priorities for improving research-based education in Wales? OQ56375
Bethan Sayed: The Welsh Government have not covered themselves in glory on the issue of free school meals in the past year, and provision has been ad hoc, without a clear enough path of leadership. Since the start of the pandemic, my team have campaigned to ensure that children in South Wales West are given parity of access to the free school meal allowance, and all but three local authorities across Wales...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that response. I have raised this question on a few occasions because I conducted a survey of new mothers during the pandemic, where they raised numerous concerns about their access to health visitors during this important time. But I understand, yesterday, after having met with the Minister for mental health—and thank you again for that meeting—as you said, Minister, that...
Bethan Sayed: 5. Will the Minister make a statement regarding the deployment of health visitors in Wales? OQ56331
Bethan Sayed: It's true to say, as the Minister said, that this area has been one that has been politically contentious and complex over the years, and now that I'm finishing my elected office, I would like to reminisce and say this is how I started, by being student president at Aberystwyth University and campaigning against the introduction of any fees here in Wales, notwithstanding top-up fees that were...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for the response. We know that women have been, sadly, disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with women making up 80 per cent of childcare, care and leisure services, 75 per cent in administrative and secretarial, and 60 per cent working in sales and customer services—sectors that have been hit hard. We've just talked about childcare, but I think one of the most essential...
Bethan Sayed: 3. What specific actions has the Welsh Government taken to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in the workplace? OQ56335
Bethan Sayed: I have heard you say here today how well the coleg Cymraeg is doing in the work that they're doing, and I agree, and I've met with them to discuss that work. But, when the Minister for the Welsh language attended our committee, the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, very recently, we raised the issue with her that there was nothing in the draft budget to enhance that...
Bethan Sayed: I certainly agree that some sort of flooding victims guarantee in terms of financial support for the future is absolutely essential. We know that, in Skewen, the Coal Authority has given some sort of financial assistance, but only for external gardens—any changes that need to be made to the gardens, because of the impact—but that doesn't go anywhere close enough. So, anything additional...
Bethan Sayed: A few comments on the Welsh language. We know that a number of organisations are struggling at the moment—the Eisteddfod, the Urdd and so on—and we asked the Minister with responsibility for the Welsh language if she was going to appeal into the broader COVID pot for funding in this area. She said that it was an option, but we didn't hear if that was actually going to happen. We know that...
Bethan Sayed: Sorry about that. I hope it's working now.
Bethan Sayed: I think it would be remiss of me, as Chair of the culture committee, not to put on record some of our thoughts about what has been happening recently with the National Library of Wales. We welcome the announcement of funding to support the implementation of some key recommendations highlighted in the tailored review carried out last year, but our committee has been asking for the last four...
Bethan Sayed: I just have a few comments in relation to the committee scrutiny on behalf of culture and the Welsh language. [Inaudible.]—the funding to support the implementation of some key recommendations highlighted in the tailored review carried out last year, and the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee has been highlighting the need for increased funding for the national library and...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I apologise for going over time. It's difficult to time these things. I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for that response and everyone who's contributed this afternoon. Unfortunately, I can't cover all of your comments, but everything you've said has been important in providing us with an overview of what's important for the future in terms of...
Bethan Sayed: In moving now to Brexit, well, certainly the impact of Brexit has been great on the sector, and I'd like to thank the arts council and Cardiff Council for responding to our inquiry. Certainly, the arts council is right in commenting that the Brexit trade deal does not allow for frictionless artists' mobility, and this will make touring in Europe more complex and more expensive. The deal was...
Bethan Sayed: In relation to what the sector needs for restarting activity in this area, much like we have been discussing within the sports sector, those in the creative industries are asking now for some version of a road map towards being able to reopen. Now, I know the Deputy Minister said in our recent scrutiny that he finds that difficult, because, of course, we are in a pandemic, and it's very...
Bethan Sayed: Diolch for the introduction, and thank you to Helen Mary Jones who was the Chair in my absence, who did a lot of work during the pandemic to discuss the impact on the music industry. And sadly, the pandemic affected the launch of this report, which was supposed to happen during the first week of the initial lockdown, I believe. I'd like to thank all the bands and all the artists as well that...
