Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. In yesterday's statement, I asked you about the way that the future generations legislation was being incorporated into the budget. Another area of concern that's been under some criticism from the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales is that of moving the focus of healthcare towards the preventative agenda, which hasn't always happened in the past, and which we...
Nick Ramsay: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on budget allocations to the health and social services portfolio? OAQ53510
Nick Ramsay: I'm pleased to contribute to today's debate on the supplementary budget before us. Can I thank the Minister for her willingness to meet and engage during the process of laying this budget? I've had many useful discussions with your predecessor, and I'm pleased that that spirit of co-operation has continued. I'm also pleased to be taking part in the Finance Committee's work on the...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, yesterday I, Jenny Rathbone and, indeed, the day before, Mohammad Asghar were part of the Public Accounts Committee trip to Wrexham in north Wales—a very useful meeting. And it was made possible by a very pleasant train journey there and back, courtesy of Transport for Wales. That journey went very well, but, as I'm sure many AMs are aware, that experience is not universal, and...
Nick Ramsay: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s transport priorities for young people?
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Deputy Minister. And you've anticipated my question by mentioning the LDP process. I recently held a supermarket surgery in Morrisons in Abergavenny—always a popular model. I can see Lynne Neagle agrees and holds them as well. [Laughter.] One issue that keeps coming up in my surgeries at the moment is planning and, in particular, the number of planning applications that are...
Nick Ramsay: You've started something now, Minister. I don't know whether you've got any figures in that file relating to my constituency as well—probably other Assembly Members will ask the same. If you don't have any figures, either now or later, if you could contact me regarding the uptake of the scheme in my area, that would be much appreciated. In terms of the community scheme and the benefits...
Nick Ramsay: 9. How is the Minister strengthening the planning process in rural areas? OAQ53447
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, my constituents in Chepstow could only look on enviously last week as news reports of the newly opened Newtown bypass filled their tv screens, ably supported with interviews from Ken Skates, Russell George and others, and, of course, we all welcome the opening of that bypass. It's been a long time in the making. However, as those news reports circulated, Chepstow was totally clogged...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Can I thank Members who have contributed to today's debate? I think, as has been made clear, there were two fundamental issues at the heart of this debate today: what's gone wrong with governance at NRW and how long it will take to put it right. The fact that NRW has had its accounts qualified for the third year running, and will possibly have them qualified again in...
Nick Ramsay: Now, we've listened to the chief executive and the chair of the board give assurances that the Grant Thornton review has really gotten to the core of the problems at NRW, and will provide a starting point for a fundamental rebuild. However, we remain concerned that the membership of the board lacks the timber sector knowledge—a point that was raised by Adam Price in questions...
Nick Ramsay: Back in March 2017, the then Auditor General for Wales laid before the Assembly a report on the accounts of NRW, setting out his reasons for qualifying the 2015-16 regulatory opinion on NRW’s financial statements. The report referred to NRW’s decision to award eight high-value timber sales contracts to a sawmill operator in May 2014. As a committee, we conducted an inquiry into these...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. It is regrettable that, just over 18 months on from when I stood here in this Chamber relaying concerns regarding issues of irregularity within the administration and governance arrangements in NRW, following the qualification of Natural Resources Wales's 2015-16 accounts—well, here we go again, following a qualification of the 2017-18 accounts due to the same...
Nick Ramsay: How is the Welsh Government developing sustainable transport links in rural areas?
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, First Minister. I'm sure you're aware of the recent news story that Ros and Josh Hannam from Monmouthshire are having to pay £6,000 for sign language classes to help communicate with their deaf daughter, Lola. The couple have received funding through the local authority's sensory and communication service, but are having to fundraise to make up the shortfall themselves—valuable...
Nick Ramsay: 6. Will the First Minister make a statement on support for the families of deaf children? OAQ53397
Nick Ramsay: Well, Neil Hamilton is calling for us all to be more cheerful and we've got to that point of the evening when Mike Hedges is being urged to create a new political party. So, I think it's clearly time we all packed our bags and wound up this debate, which I will allow—[Interruption.]—which I will allow my colleague to do after the Minister has spoken. Look, I think, as Mohammed Asghar said...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Weinidog. Could you update us on the next phase of the twenty-first century schools programme? The new Monmouth Comprehensive School in my constituency is pretty much complete and being used and looks fantastic. You've probably had a visit there yourself. As part of the construction of that school, the constructors involved young people with an interest in engineering and...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, it does seem ironic that we spend a lot of time in this Chamber talking about listening more to young people, and, indeed, as you've just mentioned in your previous answer, the establishment of a Youth Parliament, which we all welcome and want to see developed to its fullest extent. You mentioned that you think the Youth Parliament would be a vehicle for greater involving pupils'...
Nick Ramsay: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on funding priorities in the education portfolio? OAQ53350
