Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for bringing today's debate. I do take on board her assurance that this is a contingency measure, however, we in the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party do not see the need to enact legislation to delay the election and we think we should focus on ensuring that the election does go ahead as planned on Thursday 6 May. I note again that the Llywydd does have the authority to...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that response. Minister, you will have heard the exchanges in the Chamber yesterday regarding Cardiff Airport, which has, of course, been badly hit by the pandemic. Now, the claim from the Welsh Government side seems to be that Bristol Airport is receiving grants from the UK Government, which is ignoring or neglecting Cardiff Airport. It may be that the UK Government has seen the...
Gareth Bennett: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the effect of coronavirus on the economy in South Wales Central? OQ56184
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for her statement today. We in the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party do not support this Welsh Government legislation because, quite simply, we don't think it is necessary. Free and fair elections are a defining feature of a functioning democracy, so of course we have to take the process seriously. But they also have to be regular elections, and if the term of the...
Gareth Bennett: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's immediate priorities for the health service in South Wales Central?
Gareth Bennett: First Minister, you've talked about the need to go slow with vaccinating people, but nobody else seems able to understand this, including the BMA. And three other Ministers, rather than explaining the thinking behind the go slow, have simply come out and decided that this is what is happening. Vaughan Gething, Kirsty Williams and Jeremy Miles are all saying that the vaccine is being rolled...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that response. We have covered quite a few issues today related to remote learning. I know there is support for parents who are carrying out home teaching on the Hwb, which you mentioned earlier, which is good, and I also appreciate there is an issue of how much guidance the Welsh Government should provide. It is a bit of a balancing act, as you suggested in an earlier answer....
Gareth Bennett: 6. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve education standards in South Wales Central throughout the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56087
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that response. We have had a lower vaccination rate than the other parts of the UK so far. The rate in England is about 3.5 per cent of the population, while in Wales it has been 2.7 per cent. Although you have tried to play down this difference, it does amount to an extra 25,000 people who could have been vaccinated in Wales if you and your health Minister had been on the ball....
Gareth Bennett: 1. What evaluation has the First Minister made of the Welsh Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56088
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thanks to the First Minister for bringing today's debate. I do actually agree with most of the sentiments that he just expressed. I think that everyone in this Chamber appreciates that we are in the midst of a public health crisis and nobody wants to downplay that situation. I'm sure we all appreciate that, during this crisis, Governments of countries around the...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that response. I’ve been contacted by various constituents who are community pharmacists and I’m asking what point the Welsh Government has reached in its negotiations with Community Pharmacy Wales—negotiations that have been going on for some months now—over compensating this sector for the financial costs that it incurred when pharmacists had to pay for their own PPE...
Gareth Bennett: 5. What funding has the Welsh Government provided to businesses in South Wales Central during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56071
Gareth Bennett: I think it's good that we are finally having this debate. One of the problems of the pandemic is that we are constantly having measures passed by the Welsh Government that have never been approved by this Chamber. Caroline Jones made the point that, here in Wales, in our devolved institution, we are, far from being a democracy, actually becoming an elected dictatorship. Now, I appreciate what...
Gareth Bennett: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s priorities for promoting economic growth in South Wales Central?
Gareth Bennett: Will the Minister provide an update on the return of fans to sporting events?
Gareth Bennett: I thank the Minister again for her report.
Gareth Bennett: Thank you to the Minister for bringing the report forward.
Gareth Bennett: When a Government tries to implement a policy, there are different methods that can be used in that cause. These can sometimes be divided into two basic elements, namely the carrot and the stick. I think that the Minister has been quite consistent in advocating the carrot rather than the stick in furthering the campaign of boosting the use of the Welsh language, and I am encouraged, after...
Gareth Bennett: I will develop this point again. Just to conclude, this is the nonsense we now have with devolution. Can we please get rid of this constitutional chaos—
