Rhys ab Owen: Trefnydd, I'd like two statements, please, on housing issues, and I'm glad you've indicated already the willingness to give one. But firstly, could the Welsh Government provide an oral statement on the impact of the local housing allowance in Wales? The Bevan Foundation recently found that there's a significant gap between local housing allowance and rent, this leading into poverty and...
Rhys ab Owen: What discussions has the Welsh Government had with other public authorities regarding poor housing conditions in Cardiff for students from Africa?
Rhys ab Owen: On the first St David's Day of the National Assembly, back in 2000, there was a debate proposing that St David's Day should become a bank holiday. Like the debate last year, this we supported by all Members of the Assembly, as it was then. However, in 2002, Paul Murphy rejected the bid, and Peter Hain did likewise in 2005. Would a future Labour Secretary of State give a different response to...
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Cwnsler Cyffredinol. Could you please outline, perhaps, the process you used in the first tendering process and how this can be changed to ensure a wider audience for the re-tender? Diolch yn fawr.
Rhys ab Owen: Last month, the Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, announced that a Labour Westminster Government would bring in respect orders, a new form of anti-social behaviour orders popularised by Tony Blair in the late 1990s. Does the Minister agree with me, therefore, that the announcement by Yvette Cooper is likely to mean that the jagged edge of different approaches to policing and justice will...
Rhys ab Owen: 4. What assessment has the Minister made of the effectiveness of Welsh Government policies to ensure community safety in Cardiff? OQ59173
Rhys ab Owen: 4. Will the Counsel General please provide an update on the tendering process for the level 7 legal apprenticeship programme? OQ59170
Rhys ab Owen: 7. What discussions has the Counsel General had with UK Government law officers about ensuring that Wales has the powers to make St David's Day a public holiday? OQ59171
Rhys ab Owen: What discussions has the Welsh Government had about seeking powers over the determination of the local housing allowance?
Rhys ab Owen: Will the Minister make a statement regarding rural development fund spending in South Wales Central?
Rhys ab Owen: Thank you very much, Trefnydd. A fortnight ago, I raised with you the need for £500 million to ensure that Crossrail Cardiff goes from the bay to Llantrisant. With The Times reporting on Friday that the costs of HS2 have now reached £72 billion, how determined is the Welsh Government to ensure that we in Wales receive the Barnett consequential from this major project? Thank you.
Rhys ab Owen: 8. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding the UK budget in March? OQ59123
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Weinidog. I was disappointed in hearing your answer to my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders that you're yet to receive a response to your request to meet Michael Gove. I hope he will respond to you very soon. Minister, I read your article in Welsh Housing Quarterly, and in that you set out further action on building safety. I was pleased to see that some remediation work has...
Rhys ab Owen: 4. What recent discussions has the Minister had with the UK Government regarding building safety? OQ59080
Rhys ab Owen: What discussions has the Minister had with local authorities to ensure that all staff working in Welsh-medium schools have Welsh language skills?
Rhys ab Owen: Two written statements, please, Trefnydd, firstly with regard to Madrid, which is trying to encircle itself with a 75 km urban forest to mitigate the climate emergency and to improve biodiversity. There's a similar idea being put forward by campaigners here in Cardiff for the city to become a new park city, with large country parks on the outskirts of the city in areas such as St Fagans,...
Rhys ab Owen: It's clear, Cwnsler Cyffredinol, from the interim report that the current devolution settlement is both dysfunctional and wholly inadequate for the needs of the people of Wales. What is also clear is that the commission will face an uphill struggle to persuade a Westminster Government of any colour that fundamental change is needed. I read last week your interview with the Law Society...
Rhys ab Owen: Diolch yn fawr, Trefnydd. The public transport expert, Mark Barry, said recently that the £50 million contribution towards the Cardiff cross-rail is only a drop in the water of the £500 million that is needed for the cross-rail to go from Cardiff Bay to Llantrisant. It also doesn't help with the inadequacy of the service—not having four trains per hour from half of the Cardiff stations...
Rhys ab Owen: 9. What discussions has the First Minister had with the UK Government following the announcement of levelling-up funds for railways in Cardiff? OQ59036
Rhys ab Owen: Yes, I did.
