David Melding: Deputy Minister, as well as the large public sector broadcasters, there's a whole host of community and local and regional radio stations around Wales, and we've seen during the pandemic the vital role they play, both in raising the morale of people locally, but also as a news outlet. Do you think it's time that we recognised their contribution, perhaps through procurement and advertising and...
David Melding: Can I make a point of order?
David Melding: I'm sorry, because there are many moving parts here. [Laughter.] But it has been our tradition to vote on opposition motions without amendment first. If that motion is then not agreed, then we vote on the amendments to the motion.
David Melding: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank Helen Mary Jones for all her work as the temporary Chair and send my good wishes to Bethan? I don't think it's a reflection on Helen's work at the moment that we'll applaud Bethan's return also, but, in the meantime, the leadership Helen has given to the committee has been instrumental in us continuing our work and producing such an...
David Melding: I'm very pleased indeed to note the progress that's been made in this area in Wales, and, indeed, in England. Now, in England, yesterday, the UK Government announced that a further £105 million of funding will be made available, most of it new money, so that the scheme to help rough-sleepers can be extended. And the BBC has reported that there will be a consequential from this decision in...
David Melding: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, the topography of the Glamorgan and Gwent valleys has always made them highly susceptible to flooding, often flash flooding, and the planning system, therefore, is very, very important in building up resilience. Some of the traditional methods used in other parts of the country, like bunding, are not practical. We've really got to think about how we manage...
David Melding: Presiding Officer, can I point out that I'm an officer of the Order of St John? Minister, you will know that St John Cymru has, for 100 years, provided essential services in the field of health and social care and first aid. It's a very familiar sight at our national events, and, like many other very significant voluntary organisations, it has shown remarkable strength over those years, but...
David Melding: First Minister, I think this is a very important question. Now, I understand that nine community news organisations have directly received a grant from Welsh Government, and you've mentioned the role of procurement in advertising and public information. I also think that local authorities could do a lot in this area. It is really a vital service, as you, indeed, said, and we have to be aware...
David Melding: 1. What support is the Welsh Government providing to the voluntary sector in light of the coronavirus pandemic? OQ55337
David Melding: Llywydd, we've heard that our dear friend, Oscar, had a very eclectic approach to public life, and a great ability to live with political paradox. And above all, he was a generous man. We've heard so many tributes to his generosity. So many indeed that I fear our caterers' stock on the stock market is likely to slide unless they find another champion customer very quickly. The other thing...
David Melding: I think this is a reasonable approach to take. It's important that flexibility is maintained through a moratorium period, can be given to RSLs that are in financial difficulty—obviously, as the Minister has just explained, that was something available, and is available, indeed, under current housing legislation—and, for Welsh Ministers to gain powers to ensure that there is an appropriate...
David Melding: Minister, do you agree with me that a coherent and ambitious tourism strategy requires, also, a partnership approach with the rest of the UK? And whilst what we can do in Wales is very, very important, it needs to be connected to some wider issue as well—you've already mentioned the furlough scheme. One hopes the shared prosperity fund, when that's operating, will be able to invest heavily...
David Melding: Can I start, Minister, by affirming on behalf of the Welsh Conservative Party that black lives matter? I do hope that the brutal death of George Floyd is seen in future as an axial moment, when something happened not just in the United States but all over the world, and especially in our case in Wales and in the UK, when we did examine our own history and particularly our attitudes and our...
David Melding: Thank you for that answer, Minister. It's from TPAS Cymru, the survey, which I think had 500 respondents—it was quite a high number. But I can certainly give you that reference. I wonder if I could just clarify the expenditure position, and I do this simply so that we can have a full understanding. I'm not in any way sceptical that the resources won't match the ambition, because I genuinely...
David Melding: Can I start by placing on record the Welsh Conservative Party's appreciation of the progress that's been made in ending, to all intents and purposes, rough-sleeping? We're pleased that this has been very successful in Wales, with 800 people now moved into temporary accommodation. Many of them would have been on the streets. And I note also that similar progress has been made in England. I...
David Melding: Minister, I've suffered a dental abscess during the lockdown. I'm told that it could well return; it happens frequently after people have had the antibiotics. It's non-urgent, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. So, the fact that it may not be properly treated until January 2021 obviously directly affects me, but we're being written to by many patients and many, many dentists—and I'm...
David Melding: Minister, there's a particularly brutal aspect to this part of the consequences of COVID-19, and that's that the most successful and research-based universities are the most vulnerable, because they have so much reliance on international economic patterns underlying a lot of their research, and their opportunities out there with global partners. But they also attract a lot of foreign...
David Melding: And, secondly, I'd like to know what advice and assistance is being given to allow builders, especially SMEs, to operate with appropriate social distancing, so that vital repairs and maintenance in particular can be undertaken? This is very important to sustain people at home, and much vital building has obviously been put on hold. And what measures are in place to ensure fire safety in...
David Melding: That's my first question. Thank you, Llywydd.
David Melding: Can I thank the Minister for her statement and also for the very open approach she's taken to scrutiny and arranging meetings with spokespeople, which I found very valuable? I think the Government is to be congratulated for moving quickly on the rough-sleeper issue, and there's no doubt that a lot of resources and technical expertise, I think, from the Welsh Government has gone in to help...
