Rhianon Passmore: I rise also to speak as a member of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee, and I was also glad to contribute to this short inquiry into the impact of Brexit on our creative industries, arts and heritage organisations in Wales, and the Welsh language. I wish to agree with the substantive issues raised today by the Chair and through the inquiry. So, loss of freedom of...
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you. There has indeed been much debate and commentary on the interesting question of whether there could be some harmonising of INSET days across the nation, and with the announcement of introducing a welcome further sixth professional teaching learning INSET day, the Welsh Government has stated within its consultation that the aim for all schools is to fix the same date for it. If this...
Rhianon Passmore: 6. What is the Welsh Government's position on bringing uniformity to the setting of INSET days across schools in Wales? OAQ53561
Rhianon Passmore: How will the Minister ensure that the second wave of the 21st Century Schools and education programme delivers facilities that benefit the wider community in Islwyn?
Rhianon Passmore: When will free sanitary products be offered to patients throughout the NHS?
Rhianon Passmore: Last week's important Barbican report around the poor state of music access across the UK describes fully the evidence on growing elitism in young people's access both to music as a curriculum subject and as a career pathway, in particular for working class children, and it highlights a chronic lack of opportunity in accessing music provision and tuition for the poorest in society. The...
Rhianon Passmore: Notwithstanding the huge existing trading bloc with the European Union and how critically important that is to Welsh business and the Welsh economy, as you say, Minister, you visited the United States of America recently in your appointment on international trade for Wales. During that four-day visit promoting Wales proactively, I believe you held meetings, as you've alluded to, with United...
Rhianon Passmore: 5. Will the Minister outline how the Welsh Government is seeking to attract investment to Islwyn from the United States of America? OAQ53519
Rhianon Passmore: Do you recognise the value or worth of the education improvement work that the education consortia carry out across Wales or not?
Rhianon Passmore: Okay. I do actually acknowledge the fact that if we look at what's happening across the water in England, you will see that there is a huge issue in terms of funding for schools in England, and quite frankly, the gap that you're talking about is equitable across Wales. I won't take any lessons in regard to that, despite the rhetoric that has not always been the case for funding of schools in...
Rhianon Passmore: For this debate today to have real merit, it is worth establishing some fundamental parameters. The UK Government's sustained austerity agenda has led to a cut of nearly £1 billion to Wales's overall budget. This is real. Despite this, the Welsh Labour Government has worked hard to protect Welsh public services from the significant cuts and has taken direct action to prioritise key public...
Rhianon Passmore: I'm very grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate brought forward by a cross-party group of Assembly Members. Alongside the future generations Act, the active travel Act is a truly ambitious and important piece of legislation and one that, as has already been said, we are all rightly proud of. It is a made-in-Wales Act that we all need to make sure is properly supported at all...
Rhianon Passmore: Thank you. I welcome the news announced last month that a total of 27 projects across Wales will receive grant awards in the first round of funding, raised by the Welsh Government's landfill disposals tax community scheme. Minister, this highly innovative scheme was established by the Welsh Government to support local community and environmental projects in areas affected by disposals to...
Rhianon Passmore: 2. How is the Welsh Government's landfill disposals tax community scheme benefiting communities in south-east Wales? OAQ53444
Rhianon Passmore: Diolch. Thank you, First Minister. The transport and economy Minister, Ken Skates, joined students in Wrexham last week to celebrate the announcement of the popular mytravelpass young person's discount scheme. Since the scheme began in 2014, there have been a total of 20,953 pass holders and an estimated 1,344,000 discounted journeys in 2017-18. First Minister, can you inform me when we can...
Rhianon Passmore: 5. What action is the Welsh Government taking to encourage young people to use public transport? OAQ53476
Rhianon Passmore: I'll come to a close. So, as we move forward, then—
Rhianon Passmore: So, I welcome very much the approach that we're taking. Thank you.
Rhianon Passmore: Firstly, thank you to my colleague, Hefin David, for bringing forward this really important debate to the floor of the Senedd today. As we know, single-use plastics and the pollution they cause represents one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today, and it can be difficult to see the real impact that any individual can have, but action must start, as has been said...
Rhianon Passmore: I welcome the Welsh Government bringing the matter of the future of Wales's railways to the floor of the Senedd for the National Assembly for Wales to discuss. In Islwyn, one of the most visible consequences of Welsh devolution has been the Welsh Government's reestablishment of the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff passenger railway line. This has been much welcomed as a major transport improvement and...
